Lotta Kalinski Leads Croatian Juniors at European Gymnastics Qualifiers

Croatian junior gymnasts wrapped up their performances at the European Championships qualifiers held in Zagreb, with Lotta Kalinski securing the highest national ranking by finishing 15th in the vault competition. Kalinski earned a score of 12.600 for her vault routine, marking a notable achievement at the home event. She also participated in the all-around competition, alongside Dora Žuljević, who placed 68th overall.

Reflecting on the competition, Kalinski described it as a good experience for her first major event, though she expressed regret over a fall during her uneven bars routine. "I'm satisfied with the vault and the beam, and even the floor exercise. After the performance on the beam, I felt the audience cheering for us and I almost started crying with happiness. It was wonderful," she shared.

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For the first major competition like this, it went well. I'm sorry that in the end I didn't complete the uneven bars, that I fell. I tried to recover, but I didn't succeed. I'm satisfied with the vault and the beam, and even the floor exercise. After the performance on the beam, I felt the audience cheering for us and I almost started crying with happiness. It was wonderful.

Dora Žuljević also acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly on the beam and floor exercise, citing initial nerves. "It was a nice experience, especially performing in front of my parents, grandparents, family… There were many of them," she added, highlighting the significant support from her loved ones.

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I could have done the beam a little better, but that was our first apparatus, and the nerves were high then. The floor exercise could also have been better, but luckily after it the nerves disappeared and I did the vault super, and then the uneven bars. It was a nice experience, especially performing in front of my parents, grandparents, family… There were many of them.

Other Croatian gymnasts also competed in the qualifiers. Nola Žiković finished 70th on floor exercise, and Nera Đurić placed 78th on the same apparatus. Eva Oštarčević competed on uneven bars, finishing 102nd. Nera Đurić, who has been battling a back injury, expressed her disappointment, particularly with her uneven bars and beam routines, feeling she had let down her family and friends despite her overall pride.

Despite the mixed results, the demanding competition in front of a home crowd is seen as a valuable stepping stone for the young gymnasts' future careers, marking their first appearance at a European junior championship.

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I messed up the uneven bars and the beam, which I do the most. I did the training sessions and the podium training well on those apparatuses, and the floor exercise, which I only brought back a month ago, I did today. All year I've been struggling with a back injury, until a month ago I couldn't even do a salto, I could only do beam and bars. If the beam hadn't been our first apparatus today, I think we would all have done much better. I was also the first on the beam, they gave me that trust because I am the oldest in the team, and that ended up being pressure for me, because I'm breaking the ice and in front of family, friends... I am proud, but again I have the feeling that I let them down. I am sad. I wanted to perform better.