Željka Čižmešija

Željka Čižmešija (born 19 October 1970) is a Croatian retired figure skater. She placed as high as 11th at the European Championships (1987, 1989) and competed at two Winter Olympics (1988, 1992). She was the first woman to represent Croatia at the Olympics.[1]

Željka Čižmešija
Born (1970-10-19) 19 October 1970
Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Figure skating career
CountryCroatia
SFR Yugoslavia
Retired1992

Career

Čižmešija began appearing internationally for SFR Yugoslavia in the 1980s. She finished 13th at the 1984 World Junior Championships. In 1986, she made her first appearances at senior-level ISU Championships, placing 16th at Europeans and 21st at Worlds.

The following season, Čižmešija finished 11th at the 1987 European Championships in Sarajevo and 16th at the 1987 World Championships in Cincinnati. She placed 22nd at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. She had another 11th-place finish at the 1989 European Championships in Birmingham, England.

On 7 March 1990, at the 1990 World Championships, Čižmešija became the last skater to perform a compulsory figure in international competition (David Liu having previously become the last male skater to do it). Both she and Liu received certificates for it.[2]

In her final season, Čižmešija represented Croatia. Training was difficult due to the war and lack of ice.[3] She placed 25th at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.[4] She retired from competition at the end of the season.

Personal life

Željka Čižmešija is the sister of Tomislav Čižmešija,[5] who competed in men's singles for Croatia at the 1992 Olympics.

Results
International
Event 83–84
(YUG)		 84–85
(YUG)		 85–86
(YUG)		 86–87
(YUG)		 87–88
(YUG)		 88–89
(YUG)		 89–90
(YUG)		 90–91
(YUG)		 91–92
(CRO)
Olympics22nd25th
Worlds21st16th22nd17th18th28th32nd
Europeans16th11th17th11th13th18th
Skate America10th
Golden Spin3rd
International: Junior
Junior Worlds13th

References
  1. "First female competitors at the Olympics by country". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  2. Hines, James R. (2006). Figure Skating: A History. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-07286-3.
  3. Araton, Harvey (15 February 1992). "ALBERTVILLE; Croatia Competes From the Heart and Not for Medals". The New York Times.
  4. "Željka Čižmešija". Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  5. "Međunarodno priznanje HOO-a" [International recognition of Croatian Olympic Committee] (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision. 17 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014.
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