At the tenth in row World Gymnastics Cup in Osijek among competitors from 30 countries from all over the world, Croatia will be represented by four female gymnasts and five male gymnasts. On Thursday (May 24) from 3 p.m. in the qualifications will perform Tijana Tkalčec and Ema Kajić in Vault, Aurel Benović in Floor and Robert Seligman and Filip Ude in Pommel horse. On Friday (May 25), also from 3 p.m., you may see qualifications performances from a young gymnast Christina Zwicker (Floor and Balance beam), Tina Zelčić (Balance beam), the current World Champion in High bar Tin Srbić and the finalist of the European Championship in Cluj last year Anton Kovačević who will also perform in High bar.
After the end of the qualifications in Osijek’s City Hall from 8.30 p.m. in the grounds of King Petar Krešimir the Fourth in Osijek will be held a public drawing of the start numbers of the finalist in all ten disciplines. Final competitions are scheduled for Saturday from 5 p.m. when contests for medals in Vault and in Uneven bars for women and in Floor, Pommel horse and High bars for men will be held. On Sunday, final contests will begin at 2 p.m. and on the schedule are the finals in Balance beam and Floor for women and in Rings, High bar, and Vault for men.
Tickets at a price of 30 kunas for the daily program or of 50 kunas for both final days and can be bought in presale on Entrio or at the official site osijekgym.com. On the day of the final competitions, tickets will be available for purchase on the selling points in front of the Osijek’s City Hall. For children, up to 12-years old the entrance is free of charge.
Before the beginning of the DOBRO World Cup 2018 in Osijek’s City Hall was held a press conference in which took part members of the Croatian gymnastic national team, participants of the tenth in a row World Gymnastic Cup.
Tijana Tkalčec:
– I am glad to be at the tenth World Cup in Osijek as much I was glad to perform at the first competition in Osijek’s City Hall. I can only say that year after year the competition in Osijek only grew stronger and became a recognizable competition in the gymnastics world. The organization is excellent and the gymnasts are gladly coming here, and they are happy to perform. Regarding my health condition, I am hoping it will not worsen and that I will be able to perform without problems at this World Cup and at the others at which we were planning to perform. I am hoping to enter the finals although the competition will be excellent. I am happy to perform in the competition of a living legend Oksana Chusovita, a woman who is in her veteran years but still performs excellently in Vault and three other disciplines. We can truly honor her and come to see her perform.
Ema Kajić:
– Last year I entered the finals as the seventh finalist, a place in which I also finished the competition. Again this year the competition is pretty strong, gymnasts who are arriving have won European and World medals and I think it will be tough to climb the winning podium. Personally, I am hoping that Tijana and I will perform in the finals on Saturday.
Tin Srbić:
– I enjoy performing in Osijek, a home audience and a special atmosphere give me some extra energy and I want to certainly feel it again this year. As far as shape is concerned, I am in good shape. Recently I suffered a shoulder injury, but I am hoping that everything will be OK by the qualifications so that I am completely ready for the finals. If I do everything I know, it will definitely be enough for the finals and the in the finals awaits the battle for the first place I won last year.
Robert Seligman:
– From Osijek’s competition I have four-second places, and I am hoping that it is possible to win this year. Winning in gymnastics is often decided by the details. As all my colleagues I wish to enter the finals and present myself in front of my audience in my city. To perform in front of my fans is a special feeling but also a special pressure as well. It is never easy for me. Osijek is the hardest competition for me, harder than “raising my hand” at the World Championship. I do not want to jinx it, but my shape is fantastic. My performance is as though as I am able to perform. Therefore, I believe that neither in the qualifications nor in the finals will there be an evaluation. I will be definitely fighting with my colleague Filip Ude for the medals. It would be nice for this tenth anniversary if the both of us end up on the winning podium. The competition is always great but that is not important. It is important to focus on your performance. I hope that a lot of people will come to support our performances.
Filip Ude:
– In Osijek, in 2014 I have won at the World Cup for the first time. I had a gold from World Cups in Floor but until then never in Pommel horse. I always came in second at most. To win in Osijek in front of the domestic crowd was a special feeling. This year I am in good shape, unladen, so I need to do the best I can. I am not interested in competition, I know that Robi is here. I heard that Miroslav Cerar is coming to see us perform. I am hoping that we will show him how to perform in Pommel horse nowadays.
Anton Kovačević:
– The last time when I was in Osijek was four-years ago and I have always felt here the best in comparison to all the competitions of the World Cup. Certainly it is going to be an interesting competition. Luckily, the injury is behind me. Tin and I will be definitely fighting in the qualifications and also hopefully on Saturday in the finals in which I am expecting that we will show everything we know.
Aurel Benović:
– Although this is my first competition in front of a home audience in Osijek my expectations are high. Firstly, I am hoping to enter the finals. It will not be easy because Osijek always gathers the best gymnasts in the world and especially strong competition will be in Floor. However, I am not afraid, if I will perform my show from the beginning to the end without any major mistakes I think I can enter the finals. I am a little nervous but I believe it will affect me positively.
