Photo: Renato Brandjolica/Hanžeković Memorial
The 70th Hanžeković Memorial is taking place in specific circumstances and with many limitations brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. However, not even such circumstances have stopped some of the world’s best athletes from coming to Zagreb.
Nicola McDermott, Australian high jumper of Croatian origin, currently world’s number four, will be the main competition to the world’s leading high jumper Yuliya Levchenko.
“My grandparents come from Blato on the island of Korčula and when I was eight, I watched YouTube videos of Blanka Vlašić’s competitions with great excitement. This is why tomorrow’s competition is special for me. My personal best is 1.98m and I am happy that I will have an opportunity to improve that result competing against the world’s best high jumpers. If I clear 2 metres, nothing will wipe the smile off my face”, Nicola said.
Amel Tuka, world silver medallist in the 800m and last year’s winner of the Zagreb Meeting, is in great shape this season, as well.
“I have only had three races this year and I am slowly returning to my normal self now. We will use the Hanžeković Memorial to improve our season’s best, because we are all in very good form. I expect the world’s fastest race of the season, and given the very strong field, I believe that we could also break the meeting record. I would also like to emphasize the importance of the Zagreb Meeting for the athletics in our region, because this meeting raised the bar for all of us already at the beginning of our careers”, Tuka said.
It was with his meeting-record victory at the 2015 Zagreb Meeting that Ramil Guliyev, European and former world champion in the 200m, started his winning streak. He will run the 100m on Tuesday.
“This season is different for everybody; I could not practise seriously for some time, because I was quarantined three to five days a week. I only have five races this year, but this is a lucky stadium for me, I ran my personal best here five years ago and I trust that my tomorrow’s result in the 100m will also be good”, Guliyev is optimistic.
Sara Kolak, javelin Olympic champion, had to cancel her participation in the Zagreb Meeting due to a big toe injury.
“I have been having problems with my big toe for a few months now; I have missed many training sessions because of it, it has affected both my technique and my overall condition. I am far from the right form, but I have still had an opportunity to compete at a few meetings. I know what I must do and I am focused on the next year. I am sorry I won’t be able to participate in the Hanžeković Memorial this year, but I will be in the stadium tomorrow, I will cheer others on and enjoy myself”, Sara said.
Sandra Perković, Olympic discus champion and eight-time Zagreb Meeting winner has not participated in any meetings this year.
“This year has been crazy and we didn’t know how to deal with all the problems. We trusted that the season would not go to waste, but we didn’t know that the whole coronavirus situation would last this long. We were getting by, we had ups and downs. I am happy that the Hanžeković Memorial has been organized after all and that I am returning to the field. I thought that I would mark the 70th Hanžeković Memorial with a throw over 70 metres, but that is not realistic to expect now. However, a throw over 65 metres would prove that I am still among the world’s best”, Sandra explained her expectations.
Meeting Director Ivana Brkljačić talked about organizing a meeting in time of pandemic and about the status of the Hanžeković Memorial in the world of athletics.
“This year has been different for everybody, and we are grateful that we can hold this 70th anniversary meeting in any way. From this year on, we are part of the Continental Tour Gold series and thanks to the continuous support of the City of Zagreb, the Zagreb Tourist Board and Zagreb’s Mayor Milan Bandić personally, we have achieved this high international level. The Hanžeković Memorial is recognizable in the world and it has a tradition like few others. We expect top result at this meeting again. The interest of the sports public and international television companies for this meeting is huge”, the Meeting Director said.
Zagreb’s Mayor Milan Bandić thanked all athletes who have come to the meeting in such a situation.
“To organize a meeting in such conditions is an accomplishment comparable to a Mt Everest ascent. This is why I would like to thank the organizers lead by Ivana Brkljačić once again“, Mayor Bandić said.
