Blanka Vlašić

Blanka Vlašić, born 8 November 1983 in Split, is a Croatian former high jumper and one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of the event. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she showed exceptional talent from a young age, attending her first Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 at just sixteen and winning the World Junior Championships in both 2000 and 2002.

Vlašić is a two-time World outdoor champion, winning in 2007 and 2009, and also claimed the World Indoor title in 2008. She earned two Olympic medals, including silver at the 2008 Beijing Games. Her personal best of 2.08 metres stands as the Croatian record and is the joint third-best mark in the history of women's high jump. After breaking the national record in 2004, she overcame a hyperthyroid condition that required surgery in 2005 before returning to dominate the event.

Her sustained excellence earned her the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award in 2010 and the European Athlete of the Year trophy in both 2007 and 2010, recognising her as one of the defining figures of women's high jump in the 21st century.