Dazzling in time to music from La La Land, Croatian gymnast Antea Sikic Kaucic put on a captivating show during her floor exercise at the World Cup of Antalya earlier this month and earned the first World Cup medal of her career as a worthy award.
For Sikic Kaucic, competing on floor exercise is more like performing on a stage. She credits U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn, the film soundtrack to which she performs, her coach and modestly herself for creating a routine that serves its technical purposes while entertaining audiences. Sikic Kaucic is now training for the chance to offer an encore at the European Championships taking place in her hometown of Zagreb in August.
The 17-year-old Sikic Kaucic, who trains under coach Marko Brez at ZTD Hrvatski Sokol Zagreb, is no ingenue to floor exercise finals in important competitions. Last year she won gold on that apparatus at the Challenge Cup of Tashkent, and also placed fourth at the Challenge Cup of Koper, fifth at the Challenge Cup of Varna and eighth at the World Cup of Baku.
In this International Gymnast Online interview, Sikic Kaucic recalls her latest honor, reveals who and what inspire her performances, and assesses her progress as she prepares for future events.
IGO: Congratulations on your bronze medal in Antalya, the first World Cup medal of your career and your second medal in the World Cup and World Challenge Cup series. What helped you perform so well in Antalya and earn a spot on the podium?
ASK: Honestly I am a big fan of figure skating, and I was following the Winter Olympics very actively, so I think that a lot of my positive energy and motivation came from watching (U.S. figure skater) Amber Glenn. She has been a great inspiration to me. I love how real she is. Her vulnerability showed me that, in order to be an athlete, you don’t have to stop being human, and that gave me great comfort. This competition was the first one where I was really proud, because on that carpet I was just being myself and that was very special to me. Of course, I was still very focused on my passes and my elements. But while doing that I managed to enjoy every second of my routine. Usually in gymnastics it is almost impossible to enjoy yourself. You have to be very cautious making every move because in a second everything can fall apart, so I’m really grateful I had the opportunity to enjoy.
IGO: Your performance to music from La La Land is not only technically solid, but very theatrical and dynamic. Who choreographed this routine, and how did you put together the routine to fit this style of music?
ASK: My amazing coach, Nika Crevatini, who is a rhythmic gymnastics coach, did my choreography. We have been working together since 2019 and she has done all of my routines. She does most of the choreography and then we see how it fits me and if I feel comfortable with the moves. If it doesn’t suit me we kind of mold it or just simply change it. But once we do the whole choreography from start to finish, it’s still not done. After I complete it, we see if there’s something that could be improved, if there are some parts that just don’t work for me in a competition. So last year the choreography was actually changed after every competition with the last changes being made before the World Championships (last fall in Jakarta). Since then it just felt complete and there’s absolutely nothing I would like to change now.
Antea Sikic Kaucic (CRO). Photo courtesy of Croatian Gymnastics Federation
IGO: There are many different ways for a gymnast to express herself in trying to fulfill the artistry requirements in a floor exercise routine. In your opinion, what exactly is “artistry” in a floor exercise routine?
ASK: I think that artistry is not something you do, but something you feel. For me, it’s very important that my music has a deeper meaning and is inspired by some of the things that I care about. After that I can connect with the music and with my routine on a personal level. I am actually a really vulnerable person and I feel things very strongly so, hopefully, I transfer my feelings and joy while performing to the judges and the audience.
IGO: Besides floor exercise, on which apparatuses do you plan to compete at the upcoming European and World Championships?
ASK: I will be sticking to floor exercise for now. I’ve had some problems with my back when I was a junior and since then I’ve been focusing on floor exercise the most, because that’s where my pain was felt least.
IGO: You were the youngest member of your team in Jakarta, and in 2026 you already have a World Cup medal. How has your confidence level changed since 2025, and what has caused this change?
ASK: I don’t think that my confidence has changed so much, but my viewing of the whole situation and my self awareness . Last year I really wanted to prove myself and my worth but I wasn’t really satisfied with any of the routines I competed. I also had some personal problems that led to some mental health issues, that I am now taking care of, so going into this season I just wanted to be happy with myself. I realised that the only thing you can control is the input and the journey so those are the parts you have to enjoy in order to be happy with the outcome. This year I’m really focusing on enjoying the process and so, once I got on that carpet in Antalya, I was really calm and positive. I knew that I won’t have that many competitions this year and with that I had nothing to lose, so all I had in mind was to try and show the best possible version of me and do that routine for myself . When I hit the final pose my heart was just so full and nothing else mattered, I really was happy.
IGO: You will have the opportunity to perform in front of your home fans at the European Championships in Zagreb in August. How much extra motivation does that offer you, and also, how much extra pressure?
ASK: I would love to have the opportunity to perform in Zagreb this year, and I’ll do my best to qualify. This is the strongest Croatian gymnastics has ever been, and to be a part of that is a great motivation to me. I am honored to even have a chance to try and qualify for such a big event. As for the pressure, I do not feel it just yet. I think pressure is an honor, because it means that people expect great things from you, and I think that’s beautiful. But, like I said, this year I’m learning to enjoy being an athlete and trying to trust the process and God’s plan. Also I think everyone deserves a chance to go and experience such an amazing event, and no matter what I’ll for sure be there. I’ll be in arena cheering for everyone.
IGO: What are your specific goals for Zagreb, and this fall’s World Championships in Rotterdam?
ASK: I would love to show some new skills, hopefully a new jumping pass. The goal that I’ve had for last year’s Worlds is still here and personally, I would love to be in the top 30 athletes. As for the Europeans, I would just really like to do a clean routine and see where that gets me.
International Gymnast Online’s other features on Croatian gymnasts include: