In a story that feels straight out of a Hollywood script, a father’s decades-long dream at the World Championships was finally realized, not through his own performance but through that of his daughter. Yes, you read that right. This is the story of high jumper Angelina Topić and her father, former Olympic medalist Dragutin Topić. For 34 years, Dragutin chased World Championship glory but fell short. Yet it was Angelina who carried that dream to life, winning the medal he had long sought, turning a lifetime of longing into a shared triumph.

At the women’s high jump final, Australian star Nicola Olyslagers set the pace from the start, clearing 2.00m with arms raised and a triumphant “Come on!” that radiated sheer confidence. Reigning Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh faltered on her first attempt but took a bold gamble, skipping her remaining jumps at 2.00m to target 2.02m, leaving her medal hopes dangling by a thread.

Meanwhile, Topic struggled to find her rhythm, failing all three attempts at 2.00m and ending her night at 1.97m. At the end of the day, Olyslagers clinched the gold medal, Maria Żodzik clinched the silver medal, and last but not the least, both Mahuchikh and Topić were tied in third.

After all the performances, when it was revealed that Angelina Topić had also clinched the bronze medal, her father and coach, Dragutin, who finished ninth at Tokyo 91, vaulted over the barriers in elation. The decades-long wait was over as the 20-year-old finally earned her medal.

For the Topić family, you can imagine this bronze is as important as the gold is for Olyslagers, as it carries with it a legacy. Angelina’s father, Dragutin Topić, is a former six-time Olympian and former European champion, who reached the men’s high jump final at the 1991 World Championships but never climbed the podium. Decades later, it was Angelina, his daughter, who got him the bronze.

The competition was anything but easy. Just as the weather seemed perfect, clouds gathered and rain threatened to disrupt the athletes’ rhythm, testing their focus and resolve. Yet, amid the downpour, 20-year-old Angelina remained calm and composed. Excelling at such a young age seems almost destined—after all, athletic prowess clearly runs in the family.

Angelina Topić’s honest confession about her career

Angelina Topić has been one of the best to emerge from Serbia, rewriting record books since her teens, and it was clear from the start that she was destined for greatness. Coached by her father, she burst onto the scene by clearing 1.96m at just 16, setting a Serbian record and matching the world U18 best. That’s not all, she claimed gold at the European U18s, bronze at the World U20s, continued her meteoric rise with silver at the 2024 European Championships, and now, with bronze at the World Championships, she has firmly established herself as an athlete to be feared.

When asked about her career, the young athlete revealed the profound influence of her parents: “My parents definitely had a big impact on my career. When you have someone who has been in your shoes, you are a step ahead of the others. My parents have been able to answer all of my questions, and if they didn’t know the answer, they knew someone who would.”

Topić added, “The emotions I feel are heightened, because every win, every loss, every step is shared with my parents. Of course, there are lessons I have to learn by myself, but it is great to have someone to lean on. It is so amazing to be able to share these experiences in both my athletic career and my life in general.” 

Well, her father has certainly made her one of the finest talents to have ever come out of Serbia but now the question is will Angelina Topić stand out against the rest? Time will tell.