Rio is the final shot at Olympic glory for two time high jump World Champion Blanka Vlasic.

Vlasic grew up in a home where sport was very important.

Fun time at the #track ???? Uvjeti za trening: idealni ?? A photo posted by Blanka Vlasic-official (@blankavlasic_official) on May 14, 2015 at 9:53am PDT

Her parents were PE teachers with her father competing as an elite decathlete.

My super dad ? Happy #fathersday !!! A photo posted by Blanka Vlasic-official (@blankavlasic_official) on Jun 21, 2015 at 8:08am PDT

She launched onto the scene qualifying for the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

The Croatian star went agonisingly close to the gold in Beijing but was just pipped by Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut.

“In the moment, it was very frustrating,” she told Athletics Weekly. “Jumping 2.05m in the Olympics and losing – how frustrating can that be? I was very sad – you come so close that you can smell it and then you don’t get it.”

“But from my perspective I am proud that I was part of maybe the strongest Olympic podium ever in the history of high jump when 2.05m was not enough for the gold medal.

“Now I can’t look on it as a failure. But it was a huge emotional drain on me. I had had a long season and afterwards I was tired and emotionally empty.”

An achilles tendon injury meant she was unable to have another crack in London.

Vlasic has a big heart, often participating in charitable activities. One being working in food kitchens for the homeless.

#Free #meals today in the center of #Split Danas smo dijelili bakalar na Prokurativama! ?? A photo posted by Blanka Vlasic-official (@blankavlasic_official) on Dec 24, 2014 at 4:52am PST

Vlasic had very limited preparation and training heading into Rio. However it didn’t stop the star from jumping 1.94 metres with ease to qualify for Saturday’s high-jump final.

Made to the finals today ?? All glory to Jesus ?? @rio2016 Još jedno olimpijsko finale! Slava Isusu ?? A photo posted by Blanka Vlasic-official (@blankavlasic_official) on Aug 18, 2016 at 1:08pm PDT

“Not every jump is a good one so I don’t dance after every jump. But every jump is a challenge and I try to do my best. I feel that I was born to do high jump. That is why there is no place I would rather be than on the field.”

We’ll be getting behind Vlasic on Saturday when she has a red hot crack at that illusive Olympic Gold Medal.

by Michael T. Lynch – contributor