Five Croatian Senior Gymnasts Set Sights on Medal at European Championships in Zagreb
The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships kick off today at Zagreb Arena, with Croatian gymnasts aiming to replicate their success from Mersin 2020.
The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships kick off today at Zagreb Arena, with Croatian gymnasts aiming to replicate their success from Mersin 2020.
The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships begin today at Zagreb Arena, with senior women taking to the podium first for qualifications. Croatia will be represented by five gymnasts: Tina Zelčić, Christina Zwicker, Tijana Korent, Mila Prpić, and Erin Bakran. This edition of the European Championships is a record-breaking one, with 640 registered competitors from 43 countries. The Croatian team's qualification round is scheduled for the last, fifth subdivision, starting at 7 PM.
Ahead of her performance, Tina Zelčić highlights her physical readiness and strong results from the season. "There were good performances during the season; I won two silver medals at World Cups, so we entered the preparation period before the European Championships full of enthusiasm," Zelčić told Večernji list.
She added that it's all in the head now and hopes for support from the crowd: "I think this is a unique opportunity for people who haven't had the chance to watch gymnastics live to see a spectacle at Zagreb Arena and experience all the charms of gymnastics." Zelčić, a 24-year-old member of ZTD Hrvatski Sokol, specializes in the balance beam, where she has won seven World Cup medals so far, and has experience from two World and three European Championships.
Christina Zwicker returns to the all-around at a major competition after a long four-year hiatus. Her injuries began in 2022 and kept piling up. "For starters, I expect to complete it from start to finish," Zwicker stated.
She also anticipates strong competition: "After several years, the Russians are back, and all the best of the best are here, not just in Europe but in the world. There are also the Italians, French, British, Romanians, and other gymnastics powerhouses." Zwicker is a former Croatian all-around champion, and her gold at the 2020 World Cup, along with two individual finals at the European Championships that same year, confirm her potential.
The backbone of the team consists of three gymnasts with rich international experience. Tijana Korent (37), a member of GK Nedelišće and a vault specialist, has won 15 medals in 55 World Cup finals throughout her career and made history as the first Croatian woman to reach a European Championship final in 2013. Fresh energy is brought by two younger, talented gymnasts. Mila Prpić (18) from Rijeka is the youngest team member from GK Vita, securing her spot by meeting the A standard in the all-around and dominating the 2023 Croatian Championships with three gold medals.
A special story is that of 21-year-old all-arounder Erin Bakran from Zagreb's Dubrava district, who will make her senior debut on the European stage. "I'm happy to have earned a spot in Zagreb, especially because it's my first appearance at such a competition and it's held in the city where I grew up and train," Bakran said. "It means a lot to me to have the chance to show what I've learned through years of hard work and perseverance. My goal is to perform a steady and clean routine, and I hope for a good placement."
Women's senior team coach Marko Brez is satisfied with the preparations. "This year, ten senior gymnasts competed for five spots on the team. Two weeks ago, we finished control trainings and final checks with the gymnasts who will represent the team," Brez said.
His initial ambition is for the gymnasts to enjoy performing in front of the home crowd. "To show themselves in the best possible light in front of their audience, their parents, friends, and family," Brez emphasized.
Croatian senior women have yet to win a medal at the European Championships. The only individual apparatus finals were achieved in 2020 in Mersin, Turkey, where three finals were reached. Tijana Korent was eighth on vault, and Christina Zwicker was sixth on uneven bars and seventh on balance beam.
The question ahead of the competition in Zagreb is whether any of the Croatian gymnasts can repeat or surpass that success from Mersin. The competition will be extremely strong: Italy's Manila Esposito defends her European all-around title and could become only the third gymnast in history to win three consecutive titles, after Nadia Comăneci and Svetlana Khorkina. Russia's return is led by current world champion Angelina Melnikova, and the Russians are considered favorites for the team title as well.
After the women's competition, which ends on Sunday, the European Championships will continue with the men's competition from Wednesday, August 19, to Sunday, August 23. In addition to medals, qualification spots for the World Championships in Rotterdam (October 17-25) will also be up for grabs in Zagreb.
