Croatia: An athlete offers her Olympic medal to the Blessed Virgin

Blanka Vlasic at the shrine of Marija Bistrica, before 1,500 young Croats.

Croatian athlete Blanka Vlasic, winner of the high jump bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, placed her trophy at the feet of the Blessed Virgin at the sanctuary of Marija Bistrica, in the north of Croatia, on September 10, 2016.

The American Catholic website Crux reported on September 14 that, before her visit to the sanctuary she was reminded that it is customary to bring “something” as an offering to the Blessed Virgin. The four-time world champion high jumper says she then happened to read a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (I Cor. 9:25): “And every athlete that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.” Seeing it as a sign from Providence, she decided to offer her precious medal to Our Lady.

After having had to give up on going to the London Games in 2012 because of an injury, Blanka Vlasic declares that she “placed her fate in God’s hands” for the 2016 contests. Crux pointed out that “it was with a grimace of pain that she jumped 194 cm, then 197 cm, winning the bronze medal.” The champion also explained that she has “understood that God needed to grow in her and that her injuries were not supposed to be an excuse for despair but an opportunity to proclaim God’s love and mercy.”

(sources: Cath.ch/Cruxnow –DICI no. 341 dated September 30, 2016)