Blanka Vlasic on the fame game

She is a high jumping rock star adored by her passionate Croatian fans. But have you ever wondered how Blanka Vlasic copes with being her country’s No.1 sporting superstar? spikesmag.com were given a fascinating peek inside her mind during a frank interview on the fame game…

It is March, 2009. The setting is the Home Depot Center in Carson, California and 2007 World high jump champion Blanka Vlasic is tired and starting to flag. She has faced more than two hours of questioning from the world’s media and it is hard not to feel some degree of sympathy, particularly as the bulk of the conversation has been carried out in English rather than her native Croatian tongue.

The year has, so far, not gone to plan for the reigning World champion. She finished a disappointing fifth at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, failing to clear 2.00m for the first time in 40 competitions.

Yet Vlasic remains one of track and field’s most charismatic and appealing characters. Whether it is her striking looks – she stands at 6ft 4ins, taller than many male high jumpers – or the heart-on-the-sleeve range of emotions she expresses during competition, few athletes can match her allure.

She attracted 12,000 people for an high jump meet – the highest attendance for an indoor meeting anywhere in the world in 2009 – and she is regularly courted by the Croatian Prime Minister and President.

Hrvoje Slišković, who works for Jutarnji List one of Croatia’s leading daily newspapers, has followed Vlasic's career closely and believes her popularity can be easily explained.

“She is not only a successful athlete but she has an interesting personality,” Slišković says.

“With her clever and witty comments she is always a rewarding athlete to interview. She also carefully chooses the non-sporting events she attends, and it is impossible to find her involved in any story with a negative context.”

2009 could prove a defining year for the World champion. In August she defends her title in Berlin and she will be keen to banish the memory of what ultimately proved a disappointing 2008 season, when she wound up an Olympic silver medallist despite going into the event in the Bird’s Nest Stadium unbeaten in 34 competitions.

Her hitherto bulletproof consistency was also shattered in Turin, but 2009 has been a year of change in more ways than one as she also sports a short, trendy hair cut and spikesmag.com cannot resist asking her why the new look?

“I don’t know," she says while shrugging her shoulders. “It just felt like long hair was so boring it took so much work and it will be far easier to have shorter hair. One of my best friend’s cut it, she works in a salon.”

Now hold on a second. Did Blanka Vlasic really get her hair cut in a regular salon? It is hard to imagine, for example, England footballer David Beckham getting his latest trim in front of other punters at his local barber’s shop.

What was the reaction of other customers as you were getting your hair chopped?

“In Split they are used to me, so it is not a huge reaction,” she insists. “I feel like I can easily walk around and not get any uncomfortable reactions. I’m at home,” she says of her city of birth.

“So really,” spikesmag.com asks, “you could walk down the High Street in Split and no-one would bother you?"

“Of course, some people would congratulate me and they are really excited and friendly, but everybody knows me and you cannot be a big star in Split.”

Not a big star?

“They won’t let you. They always think you can do better... there’s always buts you know, so they keep me really motivated to be honest.”

Which brings us to the Croatian media. Sliöković believes Vlasic handles the attention she receives astutely and believes the Press have been hugely supportive of her career.

"Almost everyone treated her silver medal in Beijing the same as gold,' he explains "The newspapers ran headlines like, 'Don't Be Sad You Are the Best For Us' and 'Silver With Golden Glare'."

Yet Vlasic explains not all the media attention can be positive.

“There are times when it is difficult,” she concedes. “It is [to be] expected that everything you read about yourself will not exactly be what you want – that is not possible. There are so many people making their opinion. You need to learn how to deal with that. As soon as you figure that out, it is much easier.”

So what tactics does the tall Croatian adopt in an effort to cope with the media hysteria in her homeland?

“I don’t read everything,” she says frankly. “My job is to jump. If I wanted I could have three interviews everyday, it is just not possible. I try to keep it to a reasonable number of interviews. I don’t want to be too much in the newspapers.”

spikesmag.com wonders if the Croatian media differs from the cutthroat British media tabloids, which have been known to mercilessly savage their sports stars.

Vlasic thinks carefully of the question and she lets out a smile.

“You know from your press it is a big difference,” she says before quickly correcting herself. “I wouldn’t say it is a big difference but there are not so many that want to pump [up everything]. They pump it, but not so much.”