"When you think you can’t that’s when you really have to, and you can," said the 21-year-old.

"It sounds a cliché but it’s really not. When you think you can’t that’s when you really have to, and you can."

After losing the first round to Thailand’s Kamonchanok Seeken, she gave an ample demonstration of how seriously she takes that belief as she recovered to complete a successful defence of the title she won in Guadalajara in 2022.

"I had a tough period between Guadalajara and here, even though it has only been eight months. I had a lot of things happen in those months," she explained.

"It was hard for me. I was thinking about whether to go on or not. 

"It was really hard. But thankfully because of the people around me they supported me and didn’t let me give up so I didn’t and it paid off.

"I think maybe because I had those tough times in-between I had to pull myself back out of it. 

"So maybe it gave me even more motivation for this Championships."

Recalling how she turned that final around, she added: "Something did cross my mind. 

"I thought I didn’t give everything in training for nothing. All those hours, days and months of hard work are nothing compared to a few minutes I have here so I’m going to give everything and whatever is for me will find me. So whatever the result I would have been happy."

From 14-4 down in the first round of the final, she fought back to win 12-11 and 6-4 to secure her second world title.

Stojković is in no doubt about how important the people around her are and credits them with her success.

"My team and coaches are very important. 

"They are the people I spend my whole day with; days and weeks of training and the majority of my life. Sometimes I’m more with them than my family but they kind of are my family."

Ivan Šapina won silver in the men’s -87kg and Matea Jelić and Bruna Duvančić won bronzes in the women's 73kg and 49kg, respectively. 

They all train at the same club, Marjan, in Split and enjoy a close relationship.

"It’s really special the bond that we have and I think we can make even bigger things than we have here," Stojković said. 

"I think we are not fully aware of what we have done for the country and the sport. 

"But we were also talking about how we have the potential to do even greater things. 

"I think we share really good values. We try to stay humble, work, trust in each other and what we do and I think that’s really important.

"I really appreciate Matea. She won the Olympics. She was the first Croatian female to win it in Tokyo. I have her near me. It’s really nice. Everything she says I’m trying to let it sink it in."

Jelić's Olympic success later in her career is also a lesson for Stojković to not get too far ahead of herself, despite her huge success so far.

"Now there are a lot of young athletes. Really young. They are even younger than me and I’m young," Stojković jokes. 

"I think it shows you have to keep going step by step and everyone has their own time."

Despite losing in the round of eight at the Rome Grand Prix, Stojković moved on to the the 3rd European Games in Poland and secured another big gold medal to add to her collection, beating Italy’s Sofia Zampetti 2-0 in the final.

Now, inevitably, she is looking ahead to Paris 2024.

"For now, I am trying not to look too far in future but I have the Olympics in mind and keep that as a main motivator," she said. 

"This year I want to give my all and be better in each tournament, especially in the bigger weight category. 

"So for now that’s my goal and whatever in the future happens, happens."