Tena Hadžić to Carry Croatian Flag at Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony
February 20, 2022 - The youngest Croatian Olympian and cross-country skier Tena Hadžić will carry the Croatian flag at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics on Sunday.
Croatian cross-country skier Marko Skender (20) finished his debut performance at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 57th place in the ski marathon (mass start), which, due to the great cold (-16 degrees) and icy wind, was shortened from the usual 50 kilometers to the "women's version" of the same discipline - 30 km.
The gold medal was won by the Russian Alexander Bolshunov (25), who finished on the podium for the third time at the Chinese National Cross-Country Ski Center Zhangjiakou (for the fifth medal in Beijing in total). He triumphed with a time of 1:11:32.7, or 5.5 seconds ahead of second-placed compatriot Ivan Jakimushkin and precisely 7 seconds ahead of third-placed Norwegian Simen Hegstad Krueger.
Marko Skender managed to finish the race with great perseverance and enter the finish line 19:01.8 minutes behind the Olympic winner Bolshunov. Weaker than Skender in this race were Brazilian Manex Silva and Greek Apostolos Angelis. This is also Skender's best placement at the Beijing Games - he was 69th in the sprint, while he took 85th place in the 15 km race.
The youngest Croatian Olympian and marathon skier Tena Hadžić will thus carry the Croatian flag at the closing ceremony of the XXIV Winter Olympics on Sunday (1 pm local time), announced the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC).
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, at the closing ceremony of the Games, the flag can be carried by one athlete.
Most of Croatia's representatives have already left the Chinese capital, so this honor remained in the competence of the cross-country skiing trio.
Since Marko Skender was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Games, and Vedrana Malec has a very demanding performance in the ski marathon (30 km) on the last day of her third and final Games, the choice fell on the 17-year-old from Zagreb.
Tena Hadžić will join Marko Skender and Zrinka Ljutić and complete the story of Croatian Olympic debutants as flag bearers at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Source: HOO
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Croatia Winter Olympics Schedule: 11 Croatian Athletes Competing in Beijing
February 5, 2022 - A look at the Croatia Winter Olympics schedule as 11 Croatian Olympians compete in Beijing this February until February 20.
Croatia has a total of 11 representatives at this year's Winter Olympics, which are being held in Beijing from February 4 to 20, 2022, reports Gol.hr.
Four male athletes and seven female athletes will compete in four sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and speed skating.
Croatia's skiers in Beijing are Filip Zubčić, Matej Vidović, and Samuel Kolega, and female representatives Leona Popović, Zrinka Ljutić, and Andrea Komšić. Vedrana Malec, Tena Hadžić, and Marko Skender will represent Croatia in cross-country skiing. The only Croatian speed skater at the Winter Olympics will be Valentina Aščić, and the only snowboarder Lea Jugovac.
Schedule for Croatian athletes:
*all listed hours are according to Croatian time
February 5 (speed skating, qualifications in the 500 meters - Aščić)
12:00 race start
February 5 (snowboard, slope qualifications - Jugovac)
03:45 start of the competition
February 7 (women's giant slalom - Popović, Ljutić, Komšić)
3:15 first run
6:45 second run
February 8 (cross-country skiing, men, individual sprint - Skender)
9:00 race start
February 8 (cross-country skiing, women, individual sprint - Malec, Hadžić)
9:00 race start
February 9 (women's slalom - Popović, Ljutić, Komšić)
3:15 first run
6:45 second run
February 10 (cross-country skiing, men, 15 km classic - Skender)
8:00 race start
February 10 (cross-country skiing, women, 10 km classic - Malec, Hadžić)
8:00 race start
February 13 (men's slalom - Zubčić, Vidović, S. Kolega)
3:15 first run
6:45 second run
February 14 (cross-country skiing, men, 50 km freestyle - Skender)
7:00 race start
February 14 (snowboard, qualifications in big air - Jugovac)
2:30 start of the competition
February 16 (men's giant slalom - Zubčić, S. Kolega)
3:15 first run
6:45 second run
February 16 (cross-country skiing, women, team sprint - Malec, Hadžić)
10:00 race start
February 16 (speed skating, finals in 1500 meters - Aščić)
12:30 race start
February 20 (cross-country skiing, women, 30 km freestyle - Malec)
7:30 race start
Beijing is the first city to host the summer and winter editions in the history of the Games. About 2,900 athletes from about 90 countries will compete this month.
In the three Olympic zones - Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou, there are 13 competition destinations, where 109 sets of medals will be distributed in seven sports branches consisting of fifteen sports and disciplines. The Beijing Winter Olympics is also the most balanced Winter Olympics to date (55% male and 45% female representatives).
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