Meet the first Croatian BMX rider off to the Olympics
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Marin Ranteš (Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
At the Olympic qualifiers in Budapest today, Marin Ranteš secured his place in Paris, becoming the first Croatian Olympic representative in the BMX Freestyle discipline.
Marin Ranteš successfully accomplished his mission in Budapest. After finishing fifth in the first part of the Olympic qualifiers in Shanghai, the Croatian BMX rider from Varaždin knew he only needed to secure sixth place in Hungary this weekend to qualify for the Paris Games.
(Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
Ranteš tailored his BMX tricks in Budapest to achieve this placement. He performed without taking excessive risks and finished in sixth place, exactly what he needed to earn a spot at the Olympic Games.
Marin, who garnered attention in 2018 by winning the FISE BMX World Cup, will compete in the Olympic Games for the first time, dedicating his entire 2024 competitive year to this goal.
(Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
“After Budapest, I can rest my body and mind a bit, then continue properly and prepare peacefully for the Olympic Games,” said Marin Ranteš, who successfully secured a place among the 12 BMX Freestyle riders in Paris.
“I have some tricks that were prepared for Tokyo, but unfortunately, I didn’t manage to qualify there. Now, I am in much better physical shape. I have a lot of tricks that I practice every day, which people don’t even know about. There was no point in using them before, but at the Olympic Games, it makes perfect sense. The goal is to win first place, and I can achieve that with these challenging tricks,” said Marin Ranteš.
(Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
Ranteš, who has recently been training in China with BMX legend Daniel Dhers, announced even before Budapest that he intends to use the most difficult tricks to pursue gold in Paris.
“At the Olympic Games, it’s either first place or nothing for me. Fifth or sixth place means nothing,” said Marin Ranteš.
(Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
The Games begin on 26th July in Paris, and Marin will have the opportunity to showcase his skills on 30th July, when he will compete in the qualifications for his BMX Freestyle discipline.
(Photo: Predrag Vuckovic)
The finals are scheduled for the following day, where the top nine riders will compete, with Ranteš being a serious contender for the highest achievements in this Olympic competition.
