Tijana Korent is a Croatian artistic gymnast. She is a vault specialist, and she qualified for the vault event finals at the 2020 and 2013 European Championships. In 2013, she became the first Croatian female gymnast to qualify for an event final at the European Championships.
Tijana Korent was born on 27 April 1989, in Čakovec. Her mother put her into gymnastics classes at the age of four. She has a degree in sports management from the Polytechnic of Medimurje in Cakovec, and she speaks English in addition to Croatian. She wants to become a gymnastics judge after she retires. She currently works as an accountant, and she frequently volunteers at a cat shelter.
She competed at the 2006 World Championships where she finished 121st in the all-around with a score of 48.600. In 2007, she injured her ankle and could not compete for two years. She competed at the 2011 World Championships where she finished 18th on vault in the qualification round.
At the 2013 European Championships, she qualified to the vault event final where she finished in 8th place with a score of 13.183. This was the first time that a Croatian female had qualified for an event final at the European Championships.
During the 2019 FIG World Cup series, she won the bronze medal on vault at the World Cup in Mersin, Turkey, and the silver medal on vault at the World Cup in Guimaraes, Portugal. She qualified for the vault event final at the 2020 World Cup in Baku before the event finals were canceled due to COVID-19.
She competed at the 2020 European Championships along with Ana Đerek, Christina Zwicker, Tina Zelčić, and Petra Furač. The team finished in 6th place, and Korent finished 8th in the vault final.
At the 2022 European Championships in Munich, Korent finished sixteenth on vault during the qualification round.
Medal record Representing Croatia
| EIG World Cup | |||
| Event | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| World Challenge Cup | 1 | 1 | 2 |
The Artistic Gymnastics World Cup is a competition series for in 2007, she injured her ankle and could not compete for two years. Sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG).
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Tijana Korent is an exceptionally talented Croatian artistic gymnast, winner of gold medal on vault at the 2023 World Cup, here she talks about her fitness routine, her diet, and her success story.
Namita Nayyar:
You were born in Čakovec, Croatia. Where did you have your early education? Your mother put you into gymnastics classes at the age of four. You have a degree in sports management from the Polytechnic of Medimurje in Cakovec. You competed at the 2006 World Championships where you finished 121st in the all-around with a score of 48.600.This later propelled your career to the height where for you became the first time a Croatian female gymnast had qualified for an event final at the European Championships. Tell us more about your professional journey of exceptional hard work, tenacity, and endurance?
Tijana Korent:
Well, my gymnastics career started off at young age, I was 4 when I first stepped in to the gymnastics hall, and fell in love with the sport.
There is a lot of hours of training that needs to be put in to it, before you can even go to your first competition, and this is probably the hardest thing about gymnastics, that sometimes, you can’t see the results as fast as you would want. But with a lot of support and encouragement from my family and friends (and later on my husband as well) I just kept going and believing in myself. And the results came after that. I am beyond proud being the first Croatian female gymnast to get in to the European championship finals, and writing the history of Croatian gymnastics.
Namita Nayyar:
It is a dream for a gymnast to play in the FIG World Cup. During the 2019 FIG World Cup series, you won the bronze medal on vault at the World Cup in Mersin, Turkey, and the silver medal on vault at the World Cup in Guimaraes, Portugal. Tell us more about these spectacular achievements of yours?
Tijana Korent:
Of course it’s a dream being a part of such big competitions. You always hope that day will come, that you will come to a big stage and shine. And I managed to do it quite a few times. It makes me very happy but also it is a huge push forward giving you the inspiration to try and do more and to keep going. I also won gold in World cup in Bulgaria in 2023, and silver at World Cup in Koper 2024, and was 2nd at world challenge ranking list on vault for 2023 and 2024, so I’m hoping there is a lot more to come as well.
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2024 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
What in your career as a gymnast acted as a catalyst in your metriotic rise as a world leading artistic gymnast player?
Tijana Korent:
I would say the fact that I started believing in myself and started seeing what other people saw. Then all my hard work and dedication show it true colors.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Tijana Korent:
I do a lot of strength exercises, and especially legs, since those are the most important for my vaulting. So I do a various exercises for running (sled running, sprints, steps with weights), but also squats and jumps since every one of those exercise helps me improve my vaults.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you train your abs? One secret to your toned body.
Tijana Korent:
Core exercise are must for my daily trainings, I do different variations of planks, also leg raises, crunches etc…
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Tijana Korent:
I do have some restrictions, I tend not to eat very late at night, and I try to cut on carbs sometimes. I am a big fan of sweets, so I have to make some compromises. But I think that balance in food intake is the key to good health and fitness.
Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Tijana Korent:
Chicken, rice, a lot of vegies, chocolate, quinoa, and what I keep to minimum is pasta, potatoes, coffee, microwave food and candies.
Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your hair care and skincare routine.
Tijana Korent:
Well I can thank my mom’s genes for my good skin. But also, I don´t use too much of skin products. Just a day crème from Neutrogena which became my ultimate favorite last few years and hydrates my skin perfectly, I also have a nigh cream and I use a micellar water to clean off my makeup.
And my hair routine is a bit more complex, because my hair gets damaged being in a bun all the time during my trainings and competitions. I use hair oils before I do wash my hair, and put hair masks during the hair washing routine, and always use detangling spray and heat protection spray before I blow dry my hair.
Namita Nayyar:
You must have a Coach who has been a catalyst who helped you pave the way to rise in your career with discipline and a never stopping attitude. Elaborate about his/her influence on your professional life?
Tijana Korent:
Yes, that is most definitely true. I in fact had few coaches throughout my career, and each one of them left their unique mark on me, which helped me get to where I am today. They thought me to persistent, to never give up and most of all to love what I do, because that is the key to giving your best at all times.
Namita Nayyar:
Five athletic leisure brands you love to wear.
Tijana Korent:
Like most of other athletes I love Nike and Adidas, their sport brands tend to have everything any sportswoman (man) needs. But I also like The North Face apparels, and Women’s best leggings which I feel amazing in.
Namita Nayyar:
Five travel destinations on your wish list.
Tijana Korent:
I did travel a lot, mostly when we went on competitions. So I would still like to travel a bit more touristically to some places like Santorini in Greece, Some of the countries and cities in USA, Australia and Canada.
Namita Nayyar:
Quote you live by.
Tijana Korent:
Do what you love, love what you do. – Is something I try to live by in my sports career and work? And there is also one I also strive to live by is “In the world where you can be anything. Be kind.” I really think we need more kindness in the world, especially in last few years, so I tend to help everyone as much as I can.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about a day in the life of “Tijana Korent “.
Tijana Korent:
Oh wow. I wake up at 6:30 am; feed my cats, and most of the time baby kittens I foster from the shelter I volunteer at. Then I get ready to go to my gymnastics training which is from 8 am to 11am. After that I go to work, because unfortunately you can’t live off of gymnastics in Croatia, and I work until 3pm. I go home, cook a meal, and try to get some rest while also feeding the kittens, and doing some little house choirs, and go back to practice from 6pm to 8pm. Come back home and try to relax and to some “home recovery” treatments for my joints and muscles, and then I go to sleep around 11:30 pm.
Namita Nayyar:
During the Covid pandemic. Tell us more about your routine to remain fit in those challenging times?
Tijana Korent:
I went running outside every day, I did quite a lot of HIIT trainings in my living room; thankfully I have a huge space at home
Namita Nayyar:
In 2007, you injured your ankle and could not compete for two years. In sports like gymnastics how were you able to overcome any physical or sports injury setbacks and what advices can you give to those in a similar situation.
Tijana Korent:
Yes, that was a very hard time for me. I was supposed to be peaking at that time in my gymnastics career, but instead I was at home recovering and trying to get back to gymnastics. I tried neither to push myself to hard nor to overburden my mind with bad thoughts or some kind of pressure. I think that was the most important thing for me, because I did come back stronger, and I never had any issues with that ankle ever again during my career.
So I would say that this is my advice to everyone struggling with injuries, just make sure you heal fully, yes it takes a little more time, but your mind will be at peace when you know you are healed and can come back to do full trainings, instead of thinking how the injury may come back because you rushed your way back in to sport.
Namita Nayyar:
What do you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and the message for its visitors?
Tijana Korent:
I would definitely say that I am honored to be chosen among all the athletes to present myself here, and talk about my career. It’s always nice when someone recognize your journey and hard work.
Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding artistic gymnast girls, who all are your fans and shall like to know from you for their climb to the ladder of success in the field of artistic gymnastics?
Tijana Korent:
Be persistent, put your best work in to every practice, and even if some days may seem bad or like nothing is paying off, keep your head up. Your time will come and you will shine.
Namita Nayyar:
A message for your ardent Instagram admirers.
Tijana Korent:
Thanks everyone for the support and for all the messages you send. It means a lot to me, and I am really thankful for every kind word.
Tijana Korent Social Media Presence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tijana.korent4/
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2024 Women Fitness