Croatian athletes Tena Hadžić and Ema Sobol made their Olympic debuts at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina but failed to qualify for the quarterfinals in cross-country skiing sprint events.
Tena Hadžić and Ema Sobol, representing Croatia, initiated their participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan-Cortina. Unfortunately, both athletes did not advance to the quarterfinals in the women's sprint event in cross-country skiing. In the qualifications, Hadžić ended up in 66th place with a time of 4:12.88, significantly trailing the fastest qualifier from Sweden, Linn Svahn, by 36.67 seconds. Sobol fared even worse, finishing in 77th position with a time of 4:22.67, 46.46 seconds behind the leader.
A total of 89 competitors participated in the women's sprint qualifications, but only the top 30 secured a spot in the quarterfinals. The performances by Hadžić and Sobol mark a significant moment for Croatian representation in winter sports, as they were the first Croatian athletes to compete in these Winter Olympic Games. Following today’s events, another Croatian athlete, Marko Skender, will also participate in the qualifying rounds for the classical sprint event later in the day.
The results may reflect the challenges the Croatian team faces in a sport that is historically dominated by countries with more established winter sports programs. Nonetheless, the participation of Hadžić and Sobol highlights the ongoing development and competitiveness of Croatian athletes on the international stage, particularly in winter sports, and sets the tone for future Olympic endeavors in this arena.
