Jan Zelezny: Javelin Thrower, Wife & Net Worth
Jan Zelezny is a legendary javelin thrower from Czechoslovakia who has won gold medals in events like the Olympic Games and World Championships.
This athlete is also a world record holder with a throw of 98.48 meters. Throughout his career, Zelezny has won several gold medals that made his country proud.
Jan is also considered one of the greatest modern javelin throwers, having fourth, fifth, and sixth-best performances.
In the article, we have mentioned detailed information about Jan Zelezny regarding his early life, career, awards, net worth, and personal life.
Quick Facts: Jan Zelezny
Well, before we get started, let us know some of Zelezny’s quick facts:
Birth Name | Jan Zelezny |
Age | [calculate_years datestring=”06/16/1966″] Years Old |
Nick Name | Zelezny |
Date of Birth | June 16, 1966 |
Gender | Male |
Profession | Retired Track and Field Athlete “Javelin Thrower” |
Place of Birth | Mlada Boleslav, Czechoslovakia |
Nationality | Czech |
Ethnicity | White |
Horoscope | Gemini |
Marital Status | Married |
Partner | Martha |
Children | Jan and Jana Zelezny |
Father | Unknown |
Mother | Unknown |
Siblings | Micmaela Zelezna |
Education | Local High School |
Religion | Christian |
Height | 6 feet and 1 inch or 186cm |
Weight | 87kg or 192 pounds |
Eye Color | Blue |
Hair Color | Brown |
Net Worth | $1 Million to $5 Million |
Source of Income | Javelin Throw |
Active Years | 1986-2006 |
Personal Best | 98.48 meters |
Social Media | Not Available |
Javelin Throw Merch | Javelin Spears, Shoes |
Last Update | [current-month], [current-year] |
Early Life and Family of Jan Zelezny
Jan Zelezny, a former javelin thrower, was born on June 16, 1966, in the beautiful location of Mlada Boleslav, Czechoslovakia.
He grew up along with the support of his parents, whose information is not available. However, his brother, with whom he grew up, is Micmaela Zelezna.
Not much about his early life education is known, but he studied at a local high school to receive a formal education.
From a young age, Zelezny was interested in athletism who used to play sports like handball and hockey.
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How old is Jan Zelezny? Age and Body Measurements
Former Czech athlete, Zelezny is currently [calculate_years datestring=”06/16/1966″] Years Old.
Zelezny celebrates his annual birthday on June 16 and falls under the zodiac sign of Gemini.
The sign represent his personality as outgoing, intelligent, and adaptable.
Moving towards his physical appearance, Jan stands tall with an impressive body height of 6 feet and 1-inch or 186cm.
Similarly, Zelezny weighs around 87kg or 192 pounds having a fit and athletic body figure, which is surely the result of his hard work and training.
Likewise, this Czech athlete is blessed with blue eyes and brown hair color.
Professional Career of Jan Zelezny
Jan Zelezny made his first international appearance in the 1983 junior world championship and came at the sixth place, making the throw of 71.26 meters in Schwechat, Austria.
Zelezny was professionally trained by his father, including the techniques of throwing the javelin as throwing the iron handball.
Before becoming a professional javelin thrower, Jan represents himself as a military army at the world level in the rank of Major.
Sadly, this athlete faced a back injury since his early career, which led him to miss multiple events.
In addition, Zelezny, in 1990, suffered from a broken torso which cost him the entire season.
Olympic Games
Jan has participated in four Olympic games throughout his professional years, making his first debut in Seoul in 1988.
The athlete made a huge 84.12 meters throw and secured a second-place winning a silver medal in his first Olympic games.
Similarly, in 1992, he made his second Olympic games appearance in Barcelona, where he made a massive 89.66 meters throw and won his first gold medal in the Olympic games.
Likewise, this athlete made his third appearance in Atlanta in 1996, where he again received a gold medal making a throw of 88.1 meters.
Finally, in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Jan made a new Olympics record with a throw of 90.17 meters. With this achievement, he was elected as a member of the IOC.
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World Championship Titles
This Czech athlete had appeared in a total of eight World Championship events throughout his professional career.
Moreover, he successfully won gold medals in three years; 1993, 1995, and 2001.
During the World Championship held in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1993, he made a massive 85.98 meters throw to secure his first-ever World Championships gold medal.
Similarly, he won his second and third gold medals with a throw of 89.58 meters and 92.80 meters in 1995 and 2001, respectively.
Late Career and Retirements
This Czech javelin thrower is the only athlete who made a throw over 95 meters with the new type of javelin.
However, the record was broken in 2020, which Jan had achieved three times throughout his career.
Jan Zelezny played the last competition of his professional career at the 2006 European Championships held in Gothenburg, Sweden.
During the competition, Zelezny made a throw of 85.92 meters, winning a bronze medal.
Later on September 19, 2006, Jan officially got retired from sports in Mlada Boleslav.
However, as of recent, this former and legendary javelin thrower is a coach of Vitezslav Vesely. Also, he was a former coach of Barbora Spotakova.
Awards and Championships
- Sixth place at the European Junior Championships at Schwechat, Austria, with the throw of 71.26 meters in 1983.
- Fourth place at the European Junior Championships at Cottbus, East Germany, with the throw of 75.10 meters in 1985.
- Third place at the World Championships in Rome, Italy, with the throw of 82.20 meters in 1987.
- Third place at the European Championships in Helsinki, Finland, with the throw of 82.58 meters in 1984.
- First place at the European Championships at Gothenburg, Sweden, with the throw of 89.58 meters in 1985.
- First place at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, the United States, with a throw of 88.16 meters in 1986.
- Third place at the World Championships at Seville, Spain, with the throw of 87.67 meters in 1999.
- Fourth place at the World Championships in Paris, France, with the throw of 84.09 meters in 2003.
- Third place at the European Championships at Gothenburg, Sweden, with the throw of 85.92 meters in 2006.
Personal Life of Jan Zelezny
This former Czech athlete is currently living a happy married life along with his beautiful wife, Martha.
They are blessed with two gorgeous children named Jan and Jana Zelezny.
Although he is a retired athlete, Zelezny is giving continuity to his profession as a javelin coach who has successfully changed the lives of multiple athletes.
Contributing to the sport for nearly two decades, he has earned a place next to Emil Zatopek and Vera Caslavska, the legends of Czechoslovak Olympic Sport.
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How much is Jan Zelezny’s Net Worth?
One of the legendary javelin throwers from the Czech who is currently serving as a coach is still earning good money.
As of [current-year], the total estimated net worth of Jan Zelezny is around $1 Million to $5 Million.
Zelezny currently makes his earning as a coach while he used to make tons of money during his active professional career.
As a famous athlete of his time, Jan also used to make enough from his brand endorsements and sponsorships.
Social Media Presence
Unfortunately, this legend is not available on any of the social media platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and how far did Jan Zelezny make his World and Olympic Championship record?
Jan Zelezny made his World and Olympic champion record with a throw of 98.48 meters in 1996.
How many Olympic Games and World Championships did Zelezny win?
Zelezny has won three Olympic Games and three World Championships throughout his professional career.