VIDEO Congratulations Pour In for Sara Kolak
The Croatian javelin thrower won gold at the European Championships in Birmingham, with Sandra Elkasević and Blanka Vlašić among those congratulating her.
The Croatian javelin thrower won gold at the European Championships in Birmingham, with Sandra Elkasević and Blanka Vlašić among those congratulating her.
Ten years of waiting have finally come to an end. Sara Kolak (31) is back on top, this time as European champion in the javelin throw. The historic moment came on August 17, 2026, in Birmingham, where the athlete from Ludbreg set a standard with her first throw of the final, 62.43 meters, that no one could match. This surpassed her celebration in Rio 2016, where she won Olympic gold, and added another brilliant chapter to Croatian athletics history.
Her winning throw was enough for the title, while silver went to Germany's Julia Ulbricht (61.53 m), and bronze was claimed by Serbia's Adriana Vilagoš (60.93 m). With this triumph, Kolak added to the bronze she won at the European Championships in Amsterdam in 2016, completing a ten-year cycle in which she has medaled at major competitions.
Emotions were inevitable at the venue. While holding the gold medal, Sara smiled and exclaimed, "Ten years!", perfectly summing up her journey of ups and downs. In a statement to the Croatian Athletics Federation, she didn't hide her joy: "It was about time, haha! I've been waiting for it for a long time, I really worked for it, and I'm proud." She added that she fought from the first to the last throw and enjoyed the competition, thanking everyone who believed in her, especially her coach Mišel Žerak.
On the official website of the European Athletics Federation, she reiterated: "This is a phenomenal result. After ten years, finally a major gold. I never gave up in the last ten years, and I'm proud of that. Today I fought and believed in myself. I even managed to enjoy the competition thanks to this amazing crowd. The wind bothered us a bit, but yes, I managed."
Along with her words of pride, Kolak also highlighted her candidacy for Croatia's best female athlete, and the title in the "queen of sports" puts her in the role of favorite. Her victory sparked numerous reactions in the world of Croatian sports, with former national teammates among the first to respond. Sandra Elkasević, who shared the golden moment with Kolak in Rio 2016, wrote on Instagram: "She was and remains a KINDER SURPRISE," while Blanka Vlašić, who won bronze in the high jump at the Rio Games, simply said: "Bravoooo."
This gold is especially sweet after years of struggles, injuries, and coaching changes. Sara Kolak has proven that perseverance and self-belief bear fruit, and the brightest kind at that.
