Ivan Ivančić
Encyclopedia
Ivan Ivančić is a Croatia
n athletics coach and a retired shot put
ter who represented Yugoslavia
.
. He finished elementary school and high school in Tuzla
, and graduated from the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education at the University of Belgrade
.
Ivančić described his entry into athletics as "coincidental": while employed at the Ministry of Transportation in Belgrade, he occasionally competed in shot put at workers' sports games, and good results prompted him to take up athletics more seriously. He joined the AK Crvena Zvezda
athletics club, where he spent a total of 24 years, interrupted by a four-year spell with AK Partizan
, a rival Belgrade club. He worked as a school teacher for 35 years.
Ivančić became the top Yugoslav shot putter in the early to mid-1970s. He won the Yugoslav championship seven times (1970–1975, 1977) and improved the national record six times. He won a gold medal in shot put
in the 1975 Mediterranean Games
, bronze in 1979
, and two bronze medals in the 1980 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the 1983 European Athletics Indoor Championships. In addition he represented Yugoslavia in the 1972
and 1976 Summer Olympic Games
and in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, placing 19th, 16th and 12th respectively. His appearance in the shot put final in Helsinki, at the age of 45 years 244 days, makes Ivančić the oldest ever World Championships
competitor in shot put, as well as the oldest ever World Championships finalist in any event.
On August 31, 1983 in Koblenz
, less than a month after the Helsinki final, Ivančić set his personal best of 20.77 m. , this is the world masters record in the M45 category (men 45–49 years of age); no other athlete in this age category has managed to come within two and a half meters of this mark. His 1980 mark of 20.44 m was also a world masters record in the M40 category until it was surpassed in 1985. For some time, Ivančić was active in veterans' competitions, but has given them up because he "could not accept the fact that the shot would not go over 20 meters, like it had before".
and Jovan Lazarević
, gold medalists in shot put for Yugoslavia at the Mediterranean Games in 1979 and 1983, respectively. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Ivančić coached Croatian athletes such as Edis Elkasević
, world junior champion and world junior record holder in shot put, and gold medalist at the Mediterranean Games; Marin Premeru
, world youth record holder in shot put; Ivana Brkljačić
, double world junior champion in hammer throw; and Darko Kralj
, Paralympic champion, world champion and world record holder in shot put.
He is currently coaching Sandra Perković
, the Croatia
n discus throw
er, whom he recognized as a talent in discus throw. In her first year with Ivančić, she improved her personal best from 32 to over 50 meters. After winning gold at the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships
, Perković became the youngest ever European champion in discus throw at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona
.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n athletics coach and a retired shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
ter who represented Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
.
Biography
Ivančić was born in the village of Grabovica, near TomislavgradTomislavgrad
Tomislavgrad is a town and municipality in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in the Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Herzegovina region.- Name :...
. He finished elementary school and high school in Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
, and graduated from the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education at the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
.
Ivančić described his entry into athletics as "coincidental": while employed at the Ministry of Transportation in Belgrade, he occasionally competed in shot put at workers' sports games, and good results prompted him to take up athletics more seriously. He joined the AK Crvena Zvezda
AK Crvena Zvezda
AK Crvena zvezda is an athletic club from Belgrade, Serbia. It is part of the sports society SD Crvena zvezda.- Men :* National Championships :...
athletics club, where he spent a total of 24 years, interrupted by a four-year spell with AK Partizan
AK Partizan
AK Partizan or Atletski Klub Partizan is an athletics club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is part of the sports society JSD Partizan.-History:The club was founded in 1945, being among the first five clubs of JSD Partizan...
, a rival Belgrade club. He worked as a school teacher for 35 years.
Ivančić became the top Yugoslav shot putter in the early to mid-1970s. He won the Yugoslav championship seven times (1970–1975, 1977) and improved the national record six times. He won a gold medal in shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
in the 1975 Mediterranean Games
1975 Mediterranean Games
The seventh edition of the Mediterranean Games was held in Algiers, Algeria from August 23 to September 6, 1975. Fifteen nations competed in 18 different kind of sports.-Medal table:-See also:**...
, bronze in 1979
1979 Mediterranean Games
The 8th edition of the Mediterranean Games was held in Split, Yugoslavia from 15 to 29 September 1979. Fourteen nations competed in 26 different sports.The games' mascot was the Mediterranean Monk Seal Adrijana.-Medal table:...
, and two bronze medals in the 1980 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the 1983 European Athletics Indoor Championships. In addition he represented Yugoslavia in the 1972
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and 1976 Summer Olympic Games
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
and in the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, placing 19th, 16th and 12th respectively. His appearance in the shot put final in Helsinki, at the age of 45 years 244 days, makes Ivančić the oldest ever World Championships
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
competitor in shot put, as well as the oldest ever World Championships finalist in any event.
On August 31, 1983 in Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
, less than a month after the Helsinki final, Ivančić set his personal best of 20.77 m. , this is the world masters record in the M45 category (men 45–49 years of age); no other athlete in this age category has managed to come within two and a half meters of this mark. His 1980 mark of 20.44 m was also a world masters record in the M40 category until it was surpassed in 1985. For some time, Ivančić was active in veterans' competitions, but has given them up because he "could not accept the fact that the shot would not go over 20 meters, like it had before".
Coaching career
Ivančić entered into coaching in the 1970s, while still actively competing, working with Vladimir MilićVladimir Milić
Vladimir Milić is a retired Serbian shot putter who represented SFR Yugoslavia.He was born in Žegar, SR Croatia, but represented the club AK Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade. He won the gold medal at the 1982 European Indoor Championships, the gold medal at the 1979 Mediterranean Games and the bronze...
and Jovan Lazarević
Jovan Lazarević
Jovan Lazarević is a retired shot putter who represented SFR Yugoslavia.He won the bronze medal at the 1982 European Indoor Championships, the gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games and the silver medal at the 1987 Mediterranean Games. and finished sixth at the 1984 European Indoor...
, gold medalists in shot put for Yugoslavia at the Mediterranean Games in 1979 and 1983, respectively. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Ivančić coached Croatian athletes such as Edis Elkasević
Edis Elkasevic
Edis Elkasević is a Croatian shot putter.He won the 2002 World Junior Championships. He did not quite adapt to an international senior level, but competed at the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2005 World Championships without reaching the final.His personal best throw is 20.94 metres, achieved in June...
, world junior champion and world junior record holder in shot put, and gold medalist at the Mediterranean Games; Marin Premeru
Marin Premeru
Marin Premeru is a Croatian discus thrower and shot putter with a personal best of 62.10 in the discus and 19.80 in the shot put. Marin Premeru has the WYB in the shot with 22.79 m.Premeru is coached by Ivan Ivančić....
, world youth record holder in shot put; Ivana Brkljačić
Ivana Brkljacic
Ivana Brkljačić is a former female hammer thrower from Croatia.She achieved good results as a teenager, winning the World Junior Championships twice and finishing 11th in the 2000 Olympic finals at the age of 17...
, double world junior champion in hammer throw; and Darko Kralj
Darko Kralj
Darko Kralj is a Paralympian athlete from Croatia competing mainly in category F42 shot putt events.He competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There he won a gold medal in the men's F42 shot putt event....
, Paralympic champion, world champion and world record holder in shot put.
He is currently coaching Sandra Perković
Sandra Perković
Sandra Perković is a Croatian discus thrower. After a successful junior career, she won the discus throw gold medal at the 2010 European Championships, in her first year of senior competition...
, the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
er, whom he recognized as a talent in discus throw. In her first year with Ivančić, she improved her personal best from 32 to over 50 meters. After winning gold at the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships
2009 European Athletics Junior Championships
The 20th European Athletics Junior Championships were held between 23 and 26 July 2009 in the Stadion Karađorđe in Novi Sad, Serbia.- Men's results :- Women's results :- Medal table :- References :Day reports...
, Perković became the youngest ever European champion in discus throw at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.