Janica Kostelic (born January 5th, 1982 in Zagreb, Croatia) rewrote several pages of Alpine Skiing history this last decade. Croatia never had a tradition in this discipline, not until Janica's elder brother Ivica entered the World Cup circuit. Janica followed in her brother's footsteps, encouraged by her father Ante and tried on skis at early age.

She starred immediately in the Junior circuits, making her debut in FIS races in 1998. At the age of 16, Kostelic enjoyed her first Olympic appearance, participating at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, where she finished 8th in the Combined event. Previous to the Japanese experience, she had entered the World Cup circus for the first time, starting in the super G at Cortina d'Ampezzo at the end of January, coming home in 34th position.

Coached by her father, she was groomed as a technical skier and eight months after her debut she was able to score her first World Cup points, at Soelden. With her talents blossoming at an exponential rate, she reached her first podium three weeks later at Park City when she was 3rd in a World Cup slalom, a great result achieved despite wearing bib #53. It was the first step on the path of an astonishing career. On January 17th, 1999, at 17, Janica climbed to highest step of the podium by winning the combined race staged at St Anton. It was to be the first of 30 successes around the world. Afterwards the Croatian snatched two more wins in the slalom and finished the season placing 11th in the overall standings.

Bad luck blighted the first part of the following season for Janica. In December she was leading the standings when she suffered a bad crash while training for the downhill at St. Moritz, tearing the ligaments to her right knee. Not only did her season came to an early end but her entire the career hung in the balance. The athlete from Zagreb, after a long lay-off and just as long rehabilitation, proved she was made of stern stuff when she returned to the circuit for the2000/01 season.

Kostelic claimed her first success of the year at Park City, the first of an impressive series of eight victories, which helped her to conquer the Overall World Cup title during the Finals at Are. Croatia entered the Alpine Skiing history books in March 2001 and as a reward, the local hero was awarded a bouquet of 1256 roses, the same number as her overall points total. To round up a wonderful year, she also claimed the titles in the slalom and combined.  Her nation honoured her achievement by dedicating a postage stamp to her, the first time for an athlete.

The strain of the previous year's skiing left its mark when the Croatian ace underwent a series of operations in the off-season to stabilize her knee due to strong pains and returned to action in the month of December. However, she was not in good shape and struggled in all the disciplines. At that point of the season Kostelic decided to skip some races to focus her preparation on theWinter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. It proved to be the perfect decision as Janica blew away all competition to claim three gold medals, in giant slalom (her first ever win between the wide gates), slalom and the combined, adding a silver in the super G race.

She became the first alpine skier, male or female, to win four medals at one Olympics, and the first woman to win three gold medals at the same Olympic Winter Games. Zagreb was in delirium and celebrated the arriving hero with thousands and thousands of people gathered on the road from the Airport to the main square of the Croatian Capital. Still not satiated, she took home her sole World Cup win of the season in the Slalom at Flachau. The following season Kostelic was again out of reach for her rivals. She claimed six wins on the way to her second large crystal globe and achieved her first gold medal success in the World Championships. Janica triumphed in the slalom and combined  events at St. Moritz, however, bad news was lurking around the corner. 

On September 2003, Janica was diagnosed with a career-threatening thyroid problems, which had emerged in September and worsened in November. Doctors told her that physical effort could be fatal and the athlete underwent a delicate surgery to remove the gland. She refused to lose heart and thanks to her amazing willpower Janica was back on skis before the end of the year to renew her life on the slopes. Despite being forced to skip the whole 2003-2004 season, she came back to action stronger than ever. In 2004-2005 Janica grabbed a hat-trick of gold medals in the World Championships held at Bormio/Santa Caterina Valfurva. She stunned the field by triumphing in the downhill, her first career win in a speed event, adding two more titles in the slalom and combined.

That season will remain in the memory of Alpine ski followers for the 'duel on the snow' between the Croatian and Anja Paerson. Under impression from the Swede, Janica only won twice that season and the race for the overall title was a last-gasp finish. The giant slalom was the season-ending event in the World Cup finals at Lenzerheide. Kostelic placed 8th, Paerson finished only 17th but retained the crown by only 3 points, the smallest ever margin.