ZAGREB: 200,000 PEOPLE WELCOME KOSTELIC FAMILY

ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - More than 200,000 people gathered at Zagreb's central square on Monday to welcome the Winter Olympics' three-time gold medal winner Janica Kostelic and the Croatian Alpine skiing team upon their arrival from Salt Lake City.#L# "You are the best. I really did not expect this", said Janica, impressed with the rapturous welcome which not one Croatian athlete experienced in Zagreb before. "The only city which can throw such a party is Zagreb", said the world's leading slalom racer Ivica Kostelic, while his father Ante said, "medals are staying where they belong, beneath Sljeme (Zagreb mountain)". Assistant Zagreb bishop Vlado Kosic read a greeting by Croatian Catholic Church head Josip Bozanic to Janica and the Kostelic family, while Zagreb resigning mayor Milan Bandic, representatives of the Zagreb Sports Alliance and sponsors presented Janica, Ivica and Ante Kostelic with gifts. The person who is the most responsible for Janica's success, her father and coach Ante, could hardly hide his emotions. He danced a winning dance with his wife Marica before the thrilled audience, and was joined by other members of the Croatian Alpine team, including Nika Fleiss, Ana Jelusic, the team's director, Vedran Pavlek, coaches Slaven Petrovic and Vincencij Jovan, and others. The crowd went wild when Ivica Kostelic played on guitar and sang "Johnny Be Good", dedicating it to his sister. Ivica Kostelic's coach, Vincencije Jovan, said he was optimistic about the World's Cup end, where Ivica should confirm the title of best world slalom racer this season. Slaven Petrovic, assistant coach of Janica Kostelic, said there was no pressure in Salt Lake City as last year at the World Championship in St. Anton. "I would like to stress the strength of the entire team. We worked well for the whole 20 days, we did not become euphoric after the first medals but wanted to make it to the last race, the men slalom. Even though the men slalom did not end happily for us, this is an amazing success and we have already been told by some other teams that they can learn from us", said Vedran Pavlek, director of the Croatian skiing team. (hina) np .