Jaroslav Žitňanský (born February 18, 1971, in Piešťany, Trnava) is a retired Slovak discus thrower.[1] He represented his nation Slovakia in two editions of the Olympic Games (1996 and 2004), and also trained throughout his sporting career as a member of the athletics team for the sport club Slávia UK Bratislava.[2] Zitnansky has established a Slovak record-breaking throw of 67.20 m in the discus at Nacht van Volharding in Beveren, Belgium.[3]

Jaroslav Žitňanský
Personal information
Full nameJaroslav Žitňanský
Nationality Slovakia
Born (1971-02-18) 18 February 1971 (age 53)
Piešťany, Trnava,
Czechoslovakia
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight110 kg (243 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
EventDiscus throw
ClubSlávia UK Bratislava
Achievements and titles
Personal bestDiscus throw: 67.20 (2002)

Career

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Žitňanský made his official debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where he competed as part of the newly formed Slovak team in the men's discus throw. He unleashed the discus into the field with a throw of 51.50 m on his third attempt, finishing thirty-eighth overall in the prelims.[4][5]

Eight years after competing in his last Olympics, Zitnansky qualified for his second Slovak team, as a 33-year-old, in the men's discus throw at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Less than two months before the Games, Zitnansky threw the discus of 64.25 m to achieve an Olympic B-standard at the track and field class "A" meet in Vienna, Austria.[6] Unlike his previous Olympic feat, Zitnansky steadily recorded a 53.30-metre throw on his opening attempt in the prelims. Followed by a single foul and a throw slightly shorter than his first by 1.43 m on his next two attempts, Zitnansky finished thirty-sixth in the overall standings against a field of thirty-nine athletes, and did not advance further to the final.[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jaroslav Žitňanský". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Atletika: Na ME do Mníchove s reálne skromnými predstavami" [Athletics: The Euro Champs in Munich will reasonably bring modest hopes] (in Slovak). SME. 1 August 2002. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Athens 2004: Athletics – Entry List by NOC Men" (PDF). Athens 2004. IAAF. p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  4. ^ "IAAF Atlanta 1996: Men's Discus Throw Qualification". Atlanta 1996. IAAF. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  5. ^ "Diskár Žitňanský chce podať žalobu na SOV" [Discus thrower Žitňanský demands to sue the SOK] (in Slovak). Slovakia: Pravda. 17 July 2004. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Žitňanský opäť splnil limit - pôjde do Atén?" [Žitňanský meets the limit again; Is he going to Athens?] (in Slovak). Slovakia: Pravda. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  7. ^ "IAAF Athens 2004: Men's Discus Throw Qualification". Athens 2004. IAAF. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Diskár Žitňanský v kvalifkácii nepríjemne vybuchol" [Discus thrower Žitňanský is eliminated in the qualifying round] (in Slovak). SME. 21 August 2004. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
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