Speakers

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 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 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 is 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.