He was one of the greatest athletes that Yugoslavia ever had, a multiple record holder and a long-time member of the national team, and he will also be remembered as an exceptional sports personality and athlete who dominated Yugoslav and Balkan athletics for an entire decade, leaving a deep and indelible mark.
In his rich career, he won 13 Balkan championship titles and 12 national championship titles, and even broke Yugoslav records 24 times in seven different disciplines, which best speaks of his versatility and exceptional talent. He achieved his greatest success in the disciplines of 400 meters and 400 meters with hurdles, in which he reached the world’s biggest stage.
At the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960, he was a member of the relay team that reached the semi-finals, together with Savić, Grujić and Šnajder. Four years later, at the Olympics in Tokyo, he had high expectations, but his performance was cut short by an injury in the 400m hurdles qualifying race.
During his ten-year long career, Kovač was almost invincible. He lost only two races in the 400-meter hurdles – one to Salvatore Morale, then European champion and record holder, after an uncertain photo-finish, and the other to Olympic champion Karl Kaufman. His personal bests, especially 46.6 seconds in the 400 meters and 50.9 seconds in the 400 meters hurdles, placed him at the very top of European athletics at the time.
It is especially important to emphasize that all his top results were achieved in much more difficult conditions than today – outdoor races were run on clay, while indoor disciplines were held on wooden boards, which further confirms the magnitude of his achievements.
The funeral of Đani Kovač will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 12 noon, at the cemetery in Mijatovac near Ćuprija. He left behind an indelible mark in the history of athletics, but also the memory of an athlete whose name will forever remain among the greatest.
(Vijesti.ba)
