Defence Minister congratulates world’s bronze taekwondo medalist Lucija Zaninović

“Dear Lucija, on behalf of all members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, of the Ministry of Defence and my personal behalf, I am extending sincere congratulations to you for winning the bronze medal at the World Taekwondo Championship in Puebla, Mexico  – the world-class one that was missing in your rich collection of two consecutive titles of the European Champion and the Bronze Medal from the Olympics in London in 2012.
 
It makes us proud to have you in the big family of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia“, says Minister Kotromanović.
 
Lucija Zaninović has been member of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia since March 2011, pursuant to the Agreement on Co-operation between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Olympic Committee on promotion and development of sport in the Republic of Croatia.
A member of the Marjan Taekwondo Club in Split and of the Croatian National Taekwondo Team,  Lucija Zaninović has won the bronze medal at the ongoing World Championship in Pueblo, Mexico.
 
In the competitions Lucija eliminated Cynthia Kragbe from the Ivory Coast, (by „kalyeo“ in the second round, at 9:1), and subsequently Li Zhao Yi from China ( 5:2) and Miya Yamado from Japan (3:2). She was conquered by Dana Touran from Jordan in the semifinals by 3:6.
 
The present Championship has been the lucky third one, as at the previous two she missed the medals narrowly (by a single point). She now owns medals from all major competitions and has made a big leap towards the next Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro. Namely, according to the new qualification cycle and a new scoring system the top-ranking world athletes qualify for the upcoming Olympics by default, whereas the rigorous former system only allowed the winners of the world and continental qualifications.