Glasnovic says Croatia to prepare next Olympics in Tokyo

(Xinhua) -- Croatian Josip Glasnovic, the new Olympic champion in men' s trap, returned to Zagreb and was welcomed as a hero by his family, friends and fans in Zagreb airport late on Thursday evening.

In Rio, Glasnovic beat Italian Giovannni Peliello, the 44-year-old world record holder, in final and won the Croatia' s first gold medal in Rio Olympic game on Agu. 8.

His wife Ana, also a shooter, gave him a big huge followed by his parents and elder brother Anthony, a fellow of his shooting.

"I' m tired of the long journey but also very happy. I' m proud that Croatia continues its dominance in trap. We have busted Italians and now we can calmly preparing for next Olympic game in Tokyo", Glasnovic said.

Glasnovic, 33, fell in love with shooting when he was a kid following his father and brother to shoot ducks. Then started training at age of 15.

"I' m not sure if I should say this but I fired my first bullet when I was eight," Glasnovic recalled.

"It would be in 1998, my dad took my brother and me in a hunt and this was the first time we were at hunting. But we only shot a pigeon. However, we liked it a lot," he added.

Glasnovic and his brother formally trained on shooting in 1998, he said, adding the following year he was the third junior in a trap.

He joined in Beijing Olympics in 2008, he did well with a perfect 15 of 15 in the semi-final but missed two in the final. At last he ranked 5 without any medal.

But he got a silver medal at the European Shotgun Championship this year.

"I just focus on the target, keep it simple," he said after won the gold in Rio when asked how he kept calm and hit the targets in the final.

"I shot very well, very concentrated even did not notice the Italian missed the targets. I give all the best," he added.

Although Croatia has been successful in trap winning several medals in world competition, including a gold medal of Olympics in London by Glasnovic' s teammate Giovanni Cernogoraz, the sport hasn' t been as popular as football and tennis in the country.

Glasnovic was unknown in the country before Rio and is struggling for financial supports for his training along his path to the gold medal.

The financial situation forced him to train less because of the expensive bullets and without a coach. He even hoped to find a regular job.

His colleagues from the national team are employed in Croatian army but Glasnovic was acquitted of military service because of a vision problems that caused by an accident which injured his right eye when he was 17.

"It doesn' t have to be in army. I' m fine with anything that would help me to have better conditions in sports", he said.

His parents have given him a huge help, including in finance.

Glasnovic said he usually trains with his brother, who attended the London Olympics in 2012, together with their father.

"They are always with me in training, but this time my brother didn' t want to go to Rio. I decided to go alone," he said.

"Actually, I do not see myself as an athlete without a coach, but the last two months I' ve been working alone", he added. Enditem