Sandra Perkovic, the world's best discus thrower, became the first athlete in history to win five consecutive gold medals at the European Championships.
Discus Queen Sandra Perković won her fifth gold medal at the European Championship on Saturday and was welcomed at the Zagreb Airport on Monday night by many fans, journalists, and tamburitza music, reports Index.hr on August 14, 2018.
Sandra has become the first in history, counting both men's and women's competitions, to win five consecutive European Championship titles in the same individual discipline.
The athlete arrived at Zagreb Airport at 21:00 on Monday night.
"We have won this together, we have written history together. I brought the fifth gold to Croatia. If the fifth gold was won easily, everyone would win it,” Sandra said first upon her return from Berlin to Zagreb.
“The gold is around my neck. I do not know if it shines the same as my first gold I won in 2010. You all saw how difficult this last competition was."
"I tried to stay concentrated in the difficult moments. After the first throws went into the net, I had to change my tactics. After three series and three ‘X’s,’ we discussed what we should do now and decided to go all or nothing, and see what happens. After the fourth throw and another foul, I started to get mixed emotions. I did not want to leave the throw I was saving for the end, before the German audience. When I saw that the fifth disc went out, my happiness was immeasurable.”
Sandra claims that she learned a lot from Saturday's competition.
"It was a lot easier for me last year, then I was more focused. This time I knew I was a lot better than the other competitors and that I could take the gold myself... I did not crumble under pressure, but… I learned a lot from this competition and I hope that we will never see this kind of competition again,” Sandra added.
And what’s next?
"We're going station to station. I am turning to the Diamond League and the Hanžeković Memorial. I can throw even further, this is not my real distance."
