Croatia Eyes Record Medal Haul at Rio 2016 Olympics

Croatia forecast to win record medal haul in Rio

There will be a total of 84 athletes representing Croatia in 16 different sports at this summers’ Olympic Games in Rio…

This will be one of the strongest Croatia teams at an Olympic Games with 9 Olympic medalists taking part during the Games which will be held in Rio from 6 – 21 August. Croatia has a good chance to break its record of gold medals at a Summer Games with a number of athletes in top form. The biggest gold medal haul since Croatia competed for the first time as an independent nation in 1992 was 3 at the London Olympics in 2012, whilst those Olympic Games in London also saw the biggest medal haul in the nation’s history of 6.

Sandra Perković (photo credit: Bongarts/Getty Images)

Two favourites for gold in Rio will be 4-time European and reigning Olympic discus champion Sandra Perković and world champion shooter Snježana Pejčić. Olympic gold medalist in men’s trap in London, Giovanni Cernogoraz, will be trying to defend his title in Rio, whilst gymnast Filip Ude also has a good chance again of a medal.

Pejčić (centre) (photo credit: ©ISSF)

Croatia’s other serious medal hopes lie with champion rowing brothers Martin and Valent Sinković, Damir Valent in rowing also, and the fantastic twin sisters Lucija and Ana Zaninović in the taekwondo.

Sinković Brothers (photo credit / PRiredba Studio)

The men’s water polo and handball teams, who won the gold and the bronze respectively in London in 2012, also will be gunning for medals in Rio.

Boxer Filip Hrgović

Boxer Filip Hrgović, who won gold at the European Championships, and experienced high-jumper Blanka Vlašić.

Blanka Vlašić

Sports journalists have predicted that Croatia could win as many as 10 medals in Rio.