Jurica Grabušić
Encyclopedia
Jurica Grabušić is a Croatia
n athlete who specializes in the 110 metre hurdles. A double Olympic competitor (2004
, 2008
) in his event, he also participated in bobsleigh
at the 2006 Olympic Games
.
, and joined the sports club Hrvatski Akademski Atletski Klub Mladost, the athletics section of Mladost
. He took his first of several national titles in 2001, both outdoors and indoors.
As a junior athlete he made his international debut at the 2000 World Junior Championships
, where he failed to progress from the first round of the hurdles competition. At the 2002 World Junior Championships
he placed sixth in the hurdles final, and also competed in the 100 metres event
. He also competed at the 2002 European Indoor Championships and the 2002 European Championships
without progressing from the first round. His personal best time by 2002 was 13.80 seconds.
.
From then, Grabušić concentrated on another sport – bobsleigh
. He participated in the 2006 Olympic Games
as a part of the national four-man bobsleigh team
. The team also consisted of 44-year old Ivan Šola
, as well as two athletics sprinters, Slaven Krajačić
and Dejan Vojnović
. The bobsleigh team finished in 23rd place overall.
After a quiet year in 2007, Grabušić took up the hurdles again. He ran the distance in 13.72 seconds in June 2008 in Ljubljana
to qualify for his third Olympic Games
. He failed to progress to the second round of the hurdles event there, but at the 2009 European Indoor Championships
he reached the semi-final. His personal best time in the 110 m hurdles is still 13.54 seconds. He also has 10.36 seconds in the 100 metres, achieved in June 2008 in Rijeka
; and 6.71 seconds in the 60 metres, achieved in February 2008 in Zagreb.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n athlete who specializes in the 110 metre hurdles. A double Olympic competitor (2004
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, 2008
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
) in his event, he also participated in bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
at the 2006 Olympic Games
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
.
Early career
He was born in ZagrebZagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, and joined the sports club Hrvatski Akademski Atletski Klub Mladost, the athletics section of Mladost
Mladost (sports society)
HAŠK Mladost is an academic sports society from Zagreb, Croatia, sponsored by the University of Zagreb.Clubs named Mladost exist in athletics, field hockey, judo, basketball, bowling on ice and asphalt, fencing, volleyball, swimming, rugby, synchronised swimming, skiing, ice-hockey, ice skating,...
. He took his first of several national titles in 2001, both outdoors and indoors.
As a junior athlete he made his international debut at the 2000 World Junior Championships
2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2000 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Santiago, Chile.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
, where he failed to progress from the first round of the hurdles competition. At the 2002 World Junior Championships
2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2002 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16 to July 21, 2002.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
he placed sixth in the hurdles final, and also competed in the 100 metres event
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
. He also competed at the 2002 European Indoor Championships and the 2002 European Championships
2002 European Championships in Athletics
The 18th European Athletics Championships were held from 6 August to 11 August 2002 in the Olympic Stadium of Munich, Germany.-Track:1994 |1998 |2002 |2006 |2010 |...
without progressing from the first round. His personal best time by 2002 was 13.80 seconds.
Olympic career
The next season Grabušić lowered his personal best time to 13.54 seconds, achieved in July in Bydgoszcz. In 2004 he only ran in 13.79 seconds, but still competed in the 2004 Olympic Games, where he failed to reach the final round. In 2005 he won the bronze medal at the 2005 Mediterranean GamesAthletics at the 2005 Mediterranean Games
The Athletics competition at the 2005 Mediterranean Games was held in the Mediterraneo Stadium in Almería, Spain from 29 June to 2 July 2005.-Men's:-Women's:-Medal table:-References:**...
.
From then, Grabušić concentrated on another sport – bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
. He participated in the 2006 Olympic Games
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
as a part of the national four-man bobsleigh team
Bobsleigh at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Three bobsleigh events were competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics, at the Cesana Pariol venue. The competition took place between February 18 and February 25, 2006....
. The team also consisted of 44-year old Ivan Šola
Ivan Sola
Ivan Šola is a Croatian bobsledder who has competed since 1999. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of 20th in the four-man event at Vancouver in 2010....
, as well as two athletics sprinters, Slaven Krajačić
Slaven Krajačić
Slaven Krajačić is a Croatian sportsperson. He started his career as a sprinter specializing in the 100 metres, and competed at the 2000 Olympic Games...
and Dejan Vojnović
Dejan Vojnović
Dejan Vojnović is a retired Croatian sportsperson. He started his career as a sprinter specializing in the 100 metres run, and competed at the 2000 Olympic Games. Some years later he took up bobsleigh, participating in the 2006 Olympic Games...
. The bobsleigh team finished in 23rd place overall.
After a quiet year in 2007, Grabušić took up the hurdles again. He ran the distance in 13.72 seconds in June 2008 in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
to qualify for his third Olympic Games
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking...
. He failed to progress to the second round of the hurdles event there, but at the 2009 European Indoor Championships
2009 European Indoor Championships in Athletics
The 30th European Athletics Indoor Championships was held in Turin, Italy, from Friday, 6 March to Sunday, 8 March 2009. The championships took place at the Oval Lingotto indoor arena which has a seating capacity of 6,600 people....
he reached the semi-final. His personal best time in the 110 m hurdles is still 13.54 seconds. He also has 10.36 seconds in the 100 metres, achieved in June 2008 in Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
; and 6.71 seconds in the 60 metres, achieved in February 2008 in Zagreb.