Joško Vlašić
Encyclopedia
Joško Vlašić (ˈjɔʃkɔ ˈʋlaʃitɕ) (born 22 July 1956) is a Croatia
n athletics coach and a former decathlete
who represented Yugoslavia
. Vlašić's greatest competitive success was winning the decathlon gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games
, but he is best known for coaching his daughter Blanka Vlašić
, a world champion high jump
er.
In the following years, Vlašić became the leading Yugoslav decathlete, winning five consecutive national championships, from 1979 to 1983. He won two decathlon medals in consecutive Mediterranean Games
: bronze in 1979
, and gold in 1983
. His first child, Blanka Vlašić
(born 1983), was named after Casablanca
, the host city of the 1983 Games. Vlašić also competed in the 1983 World Championships
, placing 16th.
Vlašić's decathlon personal best of 7659 points, set in Izmir
in June 1983, is still the Croatian record; , no other Croatian athlete has come within 600 points of his mark.
, department in Split. He worked as a coach in his home club, ASK Split, and then as a physical education
teacher in several elementary and high schools in Split. From 1994 to 2001, Vlašić worked as a fitness coach in KK Split
basketball club. Since 2006, Vlašić is employed by the Croatian Athletics Federation
as a professional athletics coach.
Vlašić is best known for coaching his daughter Blanka Vlašić
. In her youth, she tried many athletic events, as well as sports such as tennis, basketball and volleyball, but settled on high jump after consultation with her father. As a high jumper, she became a double world outdoor champion, double world indoor champion, European champion, Olympic silver medalist, and double world junior champion. She describes her father as her "greatest asset".
national champion. They have four children: Blanka
(born 1983), Marin (born c. 1986), Luka (born c. 1992) and Nikola (born c. 1996).
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 former decathlete
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
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,...
. Vlašić's greatest competitive success was winning the decathlon gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games
1983 Mediterranean Games
The 9th edition of the Mediterranean Games was held in Casablanca, Morocco from the 3rd to the 17th of September 1983. Sixteen nations competed in 20 different sporting events.- Medal table :- External link and reference :* -See also:**...
, but he is best known for coaching his daughter Blanka Vlašić
Blanka Vlašic
Blanka Vlašić is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current indoorWorld Champion. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic...
, a world champion high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
er.
Biography
Joško Vlašić was born in 1956 in Split. He started with athletics in ASK Split, a local club. His coach Ante Tešija decided Vlašić would do well in decathlon, describing him as "tall and skinny". According to Tešija, Vlašić was initially very skeptical regarding his aptitude for the sport, but he was tenacious, loved to train, and the results came quickly.In the following years, Vlašić became the leading Yugoslav decathlete, winning five consecutive national championships, from 1979 to 1983. He won two decathlon medals in consecutive Mediterranean Games
Mediterranean Games
The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first...
: 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 gold in 1983
1983 Mediterranean Games
The 9th edition of the Mediterranean Games was held in Casablanca, Morocco from the 3rd to the 17th of September 1983. Sixteen nations competed in 20 different sporting events.- Medal table :- External link and reference :* -See also:**...
. His first child, Blanka Vlašić
Blanka Vlašic
Blanka Vlašić is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current indoorWorld Champion. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic...
(born 1983), was named after Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, the host city of the 1983 Games. Vlašić also competed in the 1983 World Championships
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
, placing 16th.
Vlašić's decathlon personal best of 7659 points, set in Izmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
in June 1983, is still the Croatian record; , no other Croatian athlete has come within 600 points of his mark.
Coaching career
In 1982 Vlašić graduated from the Faculty of Physical Culture in ZagrebZagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, department in Split. He worked as a coach in his home club, ASK Split, and then as a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher in several elementary and high schools in Split. From 1994 to 2001, Vlašić worked as a fitness coach in KK Split
KK Split
KK Split , KK Split CO for sponsorship relations is a basketball club from Split, Croatia. Currently, KK Split competes in the A-1 Liga and Krešimir Ćosić Cup.-History:...
basketball club. Since 2006, Vlašić is employed by the Croatian Athletics Federation
Croatian Athletics Federation
The Croatian Athletics Federation is the governing body for the sport of athletics in Croatia.It was founded in 1992 after Croatia had announced independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
as a professional athletics coach.
Vlašić is best known for coaching his daughter Blanka Vlašić
Blanka Vlašic
Blanka Vlašić is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current indoorWorld Champion. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic...
. In her youth, she tried many athletic events, as well as sports such as tennis, basketball and volleyball, but settled on high jump after consultation with her father. As a high jumper, she became a double world outdoor champion, double world indoor champion, European champion, Olympic silver medalist, and double world junior champion. She describes her father as her "greatest asset".
Personal life
Joško Vlašić is married to Venera, a physical education teacher and a former cross-country skiingCross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
national champion. They have four children: Blanka
Blanka Vlašic
Blanka Vlašić is a Croatian athlete who specialises in the high jump. She is the current Croatian record holder in the event, and also the current indoorWorld Champion. The daughter of Croatian decathlon record holder Joško Vlašić, she was a talented junior athlete and attended her first Olympic...
(born 1983), Marin (born c. 1986), Luka (born c. 1992) and Nikola (born c. 1996).