HIGH JUMPER • CROATIA • 1983

Olympic Silver medalist, two-time World Champion and two-time Indoor World Champion athlete

Best results

Personal best:

208 cm
2009, Zagreb
(outdoor)

206 cm
2010, Arnstadt
(indoor)

Olympic Games:

–

1x 2. place
2008, Beijing: 205 cm

1x 3. place
2016, Rio de Janeiro: 197 cm

World Championships:

2x 1. place
2007, Osaka: 205 cm
2009, Berlin: 204 cm

2x 2. place
2011, Daegu: 203 cm
2015, Beijing: 201 cm

–

Indoor World Championships:

2x 1. place
2008, Valencia: 203 cm
2010, Doha: 200 cm

1x 2. place
2006, Moscow: 200 cm

1x 3. place
2004, Budapest: 197 cm

At the Jumping Gala:

1x participant
2006 – 203 cm – 1. place

The personal story of museum founder János Angyal about this pair of sport shoes

We were preparing to host the 20th jubilee Jumping Gala in 2006 at a prestigious level. At the calendar meeting of the European Athletic Association we found a great date which also fit in the competition calendar of Blanka Vlasic, the latest high jumping star. Blanka Vlašić landed the experience of her jumps into the hearts of millions through jumping, dancing, and her charming personality. Her father, Joško Vlašić won the Mediterranean Games in Casablanca in 1983, Blanka was named after this city.

We were really working but received the painful news in March that István Gyulai, General Secretary of IAAF passed away. I could only swallow my tears upon hearing those news, as Pista’s death brought an irreplaceable loss to the world of athletics. As the chief patron of the Jumping Gala he always helped me with his wise advice. Upon my request, the family agreed to host the 20th Jumping Gala officially in the memory of István Gyulai. I was remarkably glad to personally welcome Pista’s widow Krisztina, and two of his children Kati and Miklós. 

The level of the Jumping Gala held on July 1 exceeded every former expectation. The prelude had Péter Besenyei aerobatics pilot showcasing a breathtaking presentation to the crowd. Then came the ladies’ high jump event. Until the bar was set at 185 centimetres, Blanka only watched the competition but then she had a big jump. While Dóra Győrffy and the Czech Barbora Laláková cleared 187 centimetres, she was taking a rest until 191 centimetres. Laláková cleared this height at first attempt, with Győrffy at second but neither could manage to jump over 194 centimetres. Vlasic skipped that one as well. However, she scared us at 197 centimetres: at the first attempt she jumped from too close and took down the crossbar, while at the second she tried from too far and performed a really bad attempt. At her first attempt, the bar was shaking a bit but luckily stayed in its place. “I don’t know what happens to me at these times.” – she said later. “I often make mistakes at heights under 2 metres. It might be because there’s a lot of pressure on me, I feel like I always have to accomplish. It’s bad to even think about what might have been if I couldn’t clear 197 centimetres, I would’ve finished the competition with 191 centimetres.”

At 2 metres, there was no trace of the insecurity of Vlašić, the 22-year-old athlete easily and spectacularly flew over the bar. She performed her most beautiful jump, however, even higher: at 203 centimetres. Following a wrong attempt, she jumped the world’s best result of that time, therefore, the name of Somoskő and the photo of the jump were all over the world. The top three locations of the world rankings of the IAAF in 2006 were: London, Zürich, Somoskő.