When you started skating in 1986. you were three years of age. What are your impressions from those days?
I have only beautiful memories. I was surrounded by a bunch of children and of course it was great for me at that time. Until i was six years old we were more or less only playing and our trainings were pure satisfaction. I know that I only wanted to be on ice, I bothered my mommy that I want to stay more... When other kids in kindergarten went to sleep, my mom picked me up and took me to training.
When I was three I participated in my first international competition. It was purely accidental, in Budapest. My mom took me along with my three and a half years older sister Velina on her competition, not knowing that there is a category called 'chickens' in which I could eventually compete. We went to the official drawing and my mom registered me in the category to six years, although I was only three, and there was no end to my happiness. I wasn't even last! I could however hardly stand on the ice, and I was so tiny and funny that the whole hall screamed from laughter!
How old were you when you took your first coaching instructions, and how much was it new to you in your life?
As little I was pretty spoiled, I didn't want to listen to anybody except my parents. It all changed when I was a little less then six years old, and I simply started to obey and train! I started to skate in an early age so that it wasn't that much new to me, as if I was on the ice since I was born...
Aleksandar Rožin and Oksana Gorbačov are for sure satisfied with your results. How much was their guiding hand needed, now that you think back? With what did they help you?
Absolutely with everything! Without them I couldn't get to a final of a stronger competition. It's a Russian school which speaks for itself. It's my great privilege that they took me under their wing, and put so much work and effort into me. It was very difficult, especially during puberty. That turning point is the most important for every athlete, a lot of people give up, and that smaller part stays and accomplishes something...
For now they are, I must admit, satisfied, but besides that they know my potentials, and believe I could go to the top, to the medals on world and European championships, and even on the Olympics!
What's the situation with sponsors and how do people accept skating in Croatia?
It's sad that there are no sponsors in skating yet! My coaches are paid by their clubs, and it's a sad and small amount regarding the results we've accomplished so far. But finally there is improvement. I got a new Daewoo Matiz from AUTOWILL to use for a year, all thanks to Antun Haurdiæ, but sadly nothing yet to be enough for all my needs of living, education, gas, etc... Fortunately the Olympic committee supports me fully this year, and the Zagreb union has so far, and that's all the money I get, which still isn't half of an average Croatian wage, and still not enough to make just one year pay off, considering all that my parents invested in me so far. I hope that this year people will recognize the talent in me, just like VISA recognized it, my main sponsor so far. It's not much money but I hope I'll make a great advertisement and that some sponsors will recognize me as a good project.
Which competitions have been your favorites so far?
My favorite competition was the cup of Europe, which consisted of 5 different competitions in Europe, from the youngest category to the junior category. Each year I appeared on those competitions, and with less then ten years I won the bronze medal in B category. After that I appeared in younger juniors, then in juniors and for two years in a row I won the title of best junior in Europe.
This year it's the Olympic games in Torino, have the preparations started, and what do you expect from the season?
Of course the preparations started, we didn't even stop, from last year we've been working on new programs, elements and combinations. My coach Aleksandar Rožin and choreographer Oksana Gorbačov have given their best to make the hardest and most complicated programs until now.
I began the preparations in America in the camp of world famous coach Galina Zmievskaya along with my coach at the beginning of June, we finished the summer preparations in Slovenia (Bled), and of course Zagreb.
I expect the most from me so far, but unfortunately I can't predict anything, because I still have the injury of my right ankle, but I'm confident that, if it gets better on time, I'll be skating my program 100%, and then the result is certain, I'm in the top ten!
It's well known that sport, such as figure skating, fully builds a person in a special way. Do you notice any difference in behavior from people your age, and does that difference represents complication or joy to you?
Every professional sport takes a lot of sacrifice and time, which means that you don't have a lot of time for socializing and friends. I have only a few real and true friends which are to me, of course, faultless.
I think that every person has certain goals and dreams. Unfortunately, most people can't make them true, but some are lucky and at least for one part they can enjoy in the achievement of their dreams.
We are all people of flesh and blood, only the mind differs. Someone works harder, others quit easier, everyone does their own. Everybody has problems, successes, losses, happiness.. We are all the same! I must only say that I believe that through sport you can get easier to the knowledge of good and bad.
The Mask of Zorro and The Only Girl I Ever Loved Before. How and why did it come to these compositions? Do you plan to change the music?
Yes! Everything's already been changed... New programs have been made, the music is new, the elements are different, costumes, everything..
This is the year of the Olympics! For the short program (8 given elements) I skate to blues, "Blues for Klook" by Eddy Louis. For the free program we've chosen a classical piece from the ballet "Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky.
We feel that I'm mature enough for blues, sot I can finally skate to it, it was my personal wish, and I really like that kind of music.
Classical music is classical music, and with that we can't go wrong, the music we chose is gentle, winning, full of emotions, intensity and passion, all in one..
Is there anyone in Croatia who could be your successor, or will Croatian skating depend only on your successes?
Last year with getting into the top ten I made way for another Croatian skater on the European championship. I'll soon do the same for the World championships, so that two Croatian names will go to the big competitions, and it's a big thing. The girls are working hard and I hope that sooner or later someone will take my place, and I'd like to have competition in Croatia.
A day without Godzilla. Possible or not?
No, no way, although it has happened before, this year twice already, but only when it's a MUST.. I traveled to Beijing where they didn't allow animals in the hotel, no matter how hard we, the union, and the Chinese federation demanded it.
The first time was when I went to the grand prix in Atlantic City, USA, where I was for only six days and I didn't want to disturb my little 'baby' for such a short time.. More than 20 hours of journey there and then back again, exhausting.. I have great parents which adore him and take care of him...
Kinesiology is definitely a faculty which requires a lot of time. Do you have enough time for that faculty?
To be honest, not as much as it should, but I get by. The teachers with which I have encountered so far were delightful and I use this opportunity to say thanks to them! The faculty is extremely hard and demanding, and I basically run after it and catch it as much as I can. I travel a lot and I'm absent frequently, so I try to make up for lost time, although it's impossible sometimes.
Faculty is very important in my family and I will give my maximum to complete it, it might take me a little bit more time than for others, but I'll finish it for sure!
