14 June 2011

World champion and Olympic silver medallist high jumper Blanka Vlasic will compete at the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix this July as part of her preparations for her World Championships assault later this summer.

The 27-year-old Croat joins the fastest man on the planet in 2010, Tyson Gay, former World Record holder Asafa Powell and British stars Phillips Idowu, Mo Farah and Christine Ohuruogu as part of the star-studded line-up set to feature in the inaugural Samsung Diamond League event at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

The event on 10 July, the second of an unprecedented three Aviva Series meets being held in the west midlands this year, will be the ninth stop of the global athletics tour and just seven weeks before Vlasic travels to Daegu attempting to retain the World Championship title she has held for the past four years.

Vlasic is no stranger to the UK, having competed at the Aviva London Grand Prix on four occasions – taking top spot in both 2009 and 2010 – and having already competed in Birmingham, albeit indoors, at the European Indoor Championships in 2007 and World Indoor Championships in 2003.

But having seen how athletics fans in the capital welcome their heroes, Vlasic is keen to see how Birmingham compares in atmosphere to that of its London equivalent.

She said: “I’ve been to Birmingham before, for the World and European Indoor Championships, but this is the first time I will experience the competition outdoors. I’m looking forward to it.

“I love competing in the meet in London and I’m sure the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix will be similar in terms of high competition but also great support. The crowd at the European Indoors four years ago was really loud and passionate.”

World number one Vlasic, who holds the world’s second best height of all time with 2.08m, went the whole of last season’s Samsung Diamond League series unbeaten, winning all seven events that featured a women’s high jump.

And she continued that form this season with wins in Shanghai and Rome, before being beaten to top spot for the first time in the competition by Sweden’s Emma Green Tregaro in a rain-sodden New York on Saturday.

But while the Split-born athlete admits international success is top of her agenda once again this year, Vlasic insists she intends to provide those at Alexander Stadium with a thrilling contest by breaking the 22-year stadium record.

She added: “Of course the goal for me this season is to defend my world title and I believe Birmingham will help me prepare for this. I had a great battle last year with Chaunte (Lowe) in many competitions, but even if she isn’t going to be in Birmingham I will still push myself and promise to entertain the crowd.

“The stadium record has stood since 1989 but it’s a height that’s well within my reach so maybe I can change that. It would be nice to leave my mark in Birmingham.”

Vlasic joins an all-star cast of British and international athletes set to head to the UK this summer, adding her name to a growing list of stars already signed to the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix and Aviva London Grand Prix meets. Mo Farah (5000m), Asafa Powell (100m), Tyson Gay (100m), Mark Lewis-Francis (100m), Christine Ohuruogu (400m), Sanya Richards-Ross (400m), Jenny Meadows (800m), David Oliver (110m hurdles), Phillips Idowu (triple jump), Andreas Thorkildsen (javelin throw), Kim Collins (100m) and Carmelita Jeter (100m, 200m) will all be in action in the UK this summer, fast building as the marquee destination of  the global league series.