Jaroslav Kovář, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Jaroslav Kovář

Czechoslovak high jumper

Date of Birth: 12-May-1934

Place of Birth: Prague, Czech Republic

Date of Death: 14-Feb-2015

Profession: athletics competitor, high jumper, track and field coach

Nationality: Czech Republic

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Jaroslav Kovár (12 May 1934 – 14 February 2015) was a Czech track and field athlete who competed in the high jump for Czechoslovakia.
He was the bronze medallist at the 1954 European Athletics Championships, behind his teammate Jirí Lanský.
He set a lifetime best of 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) in his native Prague in 1957.
He was highly successful in student competitions, taking gold at the 1954 World Student Games and a gold and a silver at the World Festival of Youth and Students.He was a three-time national champion, winning the Czechoslovak title three years straight from 1955 to 1957.
He used the eastern cut-off technique pioneered by Michael Sweeney before moving on to the straddle technique.
He graduated from Prague's Faculty of Physical Education and Sport and later became an athletics coach.
Amongst his charges were national record breakers Jaroslav Alexa, Rudolf Baudis, Josef Hrabal, Jindrich Vondra and Ján Zvara.
He was also coach to women's high jumpers Jaroslava Valentová, Alena Prosková and Vera Bradácová.
Later in his career he trained Zuzana Hlavonová, Tomáš Janku, Svatoslav Ton, Iva Straková and Oldriška Marešová.