Ivica Kostelić makes history in the Super-combined event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games

In each of the last three consecutive Winter Olympic Games, Ivica Kostelić has won a Silver Medal. No one else has ever won Silver Medals one after the other before. His Valentine’s Day Medal is Ivica’s fourth Silver medal in the Winter Olympics. Up until the present competition in Sochi, Ivica has won three Olympic medals, three medals in the World Championships, and 59 podium finishes in the World cup including 26 victories with 4 small crystal globes and one large globe in 2011.

“Always give your best,” is Ivica’s motto and his approach to everything he does. Aquarius Records HR gives us a glimpse into Ivica’s passion for life with this recording of Ivica jamming with Tomislav Goluban and Little Pidgeons ForHill Blues on “Brzi vlak” (fast train).

There’s no doubt that Ivica Kostelić was a fast train coming down the slopes on Valentines day this year as Janica’s hopes for her brother came true and he brought home the tenth medal for his family and the eleventh for Croatia in these games.  It was all Switzerland’s Sandro Viletta could do to edge Kostelić out of the gold by .34 seconds.  Italy’s Christof Innerhoffer trailed Ivica by .47 seconds to get the bronze.

Ivica’s father Ante was selected by lottery to set the course for Friday’s run. The course he set featured a “Royal Flush” – four gates set straight down the slope allowing skiers to build up speed before entering a sharper turn.  The course was steep and difficult.  The USA’s Andrew Weibrecht and France’s Alexis Pinurault and ten more of the forty-six skiers who started the course failed to finish or were disqualified.

According to the Associate Press, Kostelić said “at first, when I came into the finish, I was a bit disappointed, but silver is good. … People on the podium have changed, and I stayed there. The Zagreb City Assembly, The Mayor of Zagreb, the Prime Minister and the President of Croatia have already sent their congratulations to Kostelić for his victory. Don’t you know that Janica is proud of her older brother today? All Croatians are very proud of him!
Already some of the sports writers are speculating that Kostelić may retire after the Sochi games. On HTV Kostelić said: “It’s hard, health is not so good. Spite of all the medicines, I felt my knee. Already three seasons fight, I do not know, it’s hard.” The key words are “I do not know” so we’ll have to see what he does in the future.  Whatever he decides to do, Ivica Kostelić has already earned a place for himself and his family in the history of Croatian sports.