High jump world champion Blanka Vlasic and skier Ivica Kostelic were named the country’s top athletes of the year for 2009 by a national newspaper on Sunday.
Vlasic retained her world crown at the world athletics championships in Berlin in August while Kostelic finished a career-best fourth overall in the 2009 World Cup standings.
“All I wish for next year is good health,” said the 26-year-old Vlasic after receiving the award by the Sportske Novosti daily.
Despite a career blighted by injury Kostelic finished an impressive fourth overall in the men’s World Cup standings last season.
The 30-year-old earlier this month underwent an operation on his right knee after sustaining injury during the World Cup super-combined event in Val d’Isere, France.
Although he hopes to compete at the Sljeme slalom in Croatia on Jan 6, he said on Sunday: “I have to be ready for the Olympic Games in Vancouver.
“My knee has recovered enough for me to ski gently and I think it will get better day by day.
“We’ll see if it’s good enough for me to compete at Sljeme.”
More than 400 journalists from 59 media across the country took part in the vote.
