Petra was born in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Until the age of six, she was terrified of the sea - despite the fact that there are no sharks in the Adriatic! After lessons helped her overcome her fears, Petra joined her first Synchro club team when she was 11-years-old. Soon, her other athletic pursuits - gymnastics and tennis - were set aside as she progressed through the Synchro ranks. Over an 11 year career, Petra won the Croatian Nationals multiple years in a row in every event: solo, duet, and team. From 1997 to 2003, she represented Croatia on its National Team in international competitions and at the European Championships, where she was a finalist.

Following her competitive career, Petra began coaching at the club where she started. Over four years, she was a High Performance Director and Head coach for the Croatian National Team, leading her swimmers at three World Championships, in 2005, 2007, and 2009. Petra’s passion for the sport, combined with a career in Geography and History, brought her to New York City - where she was welcomed by Imagine Synchro!