Marija Šestak
A late-blooming triple jump champion who switched national allegiance to become Slovenia's first world medalist in the event.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Slovenian triple jumper·Birthday: April 17·Generation X
Biography
Marija Šestak's path to the podium was unconventional. Born in Serbia, she began her athletic career as a long jumper before finding her true calling in the triple jump. Her breakthrough came after switching allegiance to Slovenia in her late twenties, a move that unlocked her potential. Under the Slovenian flag, she rapidly ascended to the world stage, combining powerful speed on the runway with a technically sound hop, step, and jump. In 2007, she announced herself by winning a surprise bronze at the World Championships in Osaka, Slovenia's first ever world medal in a jumping event. She followed this with a European indoor title in 2009, proving her success was no fluke. Her career stands as a testament to perseverance and the impact of finding the right competitive environment.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Marija was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marija Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Marija's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the bronze medal in the triple jump at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
- Became the European indoor champion in the triple jump in 2009.
- Set the Slovenian national record in the triple jump, which stood for over a decade.
- Was the first Slovenian athlete to win a World Championship medal in a jumping event.
Did You Know?
She was born in Serbia with the name Marija Martinović before changing it and competing for Slovenia.
She initially competed in the heptathlon and long jump before specializing in the triple jump.
Her world championship bronze medal came at the age of 28, relatively late for a track and field peak.
“I found my event later, but that made the success mean more.”
