Speakers

  • Ashley Kovacs (USA)
    Coach of Joe Kovacs
    Ashley Kovacs is a former four-time All-American shot put & discus thrower and renowned coach, will be the main speaker at our conference. Formally an NCAA D1 throws coach with 12 years experience, she remains the driving force behind her husband Joe Kovacs’ world championship success, Ashley brings a unique blend of technical expertise and motivational insights to share with the throwing community.
  • Joe Kovacs (USA)
    World Champion
    Joe Kovacs is a world-renowned shot put champion and Olympic medalist. He has a personal record of 23.23 meters outdoors and 22.05 meters indoors. He won gold medals at the 2015 and 2019 World Championships. He won silver medals at the 2017 World Championships, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics. His personal best of 23.23 metres makes him the second best competitor all-time in the shot put event.
  • Richard Parkinson (CAN)
    Coach of Sarah Mitton
    Richard Parkinson is a distinguished coach within Canada's National High-Performance program, specializing in throws. With a career dedicated to nurturing athletic talent, Richard has played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of numerous elite athletes, including Sarah Mitton; 2023 World Indoor Champion, 2022 World Outdoor Silver. His expertise in technical analytics, biomechanics and training methodologies has earned him recognition as a leader in the field.
  • Kristof Kipp (USA)
    Throws Biomechanist
    Kristof Kipp, PhD - a professor at Marquette University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate classes related to sports biomechanics and strength & conditioning. His research focuses on the biomechanics of throwing events and weightlifting. He has authored or co-authored over 200 research articles and abstracts and has presented at numerous national and international meetings.
  • Indrek Tustit (EST)
    Physiotherapist and Coach
    Indrek Tustit is not your average physiotherapist. With a reputation as a rockstar in the world of sports rehabilitation, Indrek has worked with some of the biggest names in track and field, including Olympic champions and world record holders like Carolina Klüft, Justin Gatlin, Lolo Jones, Andreas Thorkildsen, Gerd Kanter, and Ashton Eaton. Nowadays Indrek is working full time in the world of professional tennis.  
  • Gerd Kanter (EST)
    Olympic Champion
    Olympic and World Champion in the discus event. 11 medals total in the big championships. All-time 4th best result in the discus history 73.38m.

    On Saturday evening, join Gerd for an in-depth discussion on the intricacies of Joe Kovacs' throwing style. Uncover the secrets behind his success and gain invaluable insights to elevate your understanding of shot put technique.

  • Dan McQuaid (USA)
    Coach and Throws Journalist
    Experienced sports commentator and journalist with an emphasis on the throws, (discus, shot- put, javelin, and hammer). Co-author of two discus throw books with Vésteinn Hafsteinsson, also working on a new book about Olympic Champion Gerd Kanter.
  • Staffan Jönsson (SWE)
    Throws Coach
    Staffan Jönsson is the renowned coach behind Olympic and World champion Daniel Ståhl. 

    Join Staffan at the European Shot Put Conference, where he will be leading the Saturday evening panel discussion on "Why has the shot put evolved so much within the last 5 years?".