The Croatian celebrates her victory. © APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

"My dream since I was a little child"

Zrinka Ljutic made history on Sunday in Semmering and underlined her enormous potential. After her slalom triumph, the 20-year-old was absolutely thrilled.

30 December 2024

From: do

On a course set by her father Amir, Ljutic dominated both the first and second runs, winning by an impressive margin of 1,75 seconds. This success is not only her personal breakthrough, but also a historic moment for Croatia - the first World Cup victory by a Croatian athlete since Janica Kostelic over 18 years ago.

"It's been my dream since I was a little kid. It's just incredible," said Ljutic, describing the moment she had worked towards for so long. The victory was anything but easy: "In the starting gate I was probably more nervous than ever before." But she showed mental strength and mastered the pressure that came with her top position.

Afterwards, there was a lively celebration. © APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

During the race, she doubted her performance, but stayed focused: "I felt completely chaotic and really didn't know if I was fast enough. So I just gave it my all until the finish." When she finally crossed the finish line and saw her big lead, she could hardly believe it: "I just saw that I was first and that was all that mattered. Then I saw the -1,75 and thought: What? This doesn't make sense."

"All I saw was that I was first and that was all that mattered." Zrinka Ljutic

With her first World Cup victory, a dream has come true for the young Croatian. "We have to plan a good party when I get home," she said happily, before preparing herself for the challenges ahead.