Marko Račič
Encyclopedia
Marko Račič is a Slovenia
n athlete who participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
, England
. Representing Yugoslavia
, he advanced to the semi-finals of the men's 400 metre competition, but did not make it beyond the opening round of the men's 4 x 400 metres relay. A local and state sprinting record holder, Račič competed internationally for many years and made appearances at the 1946 and 1950 European Athletics Championships prior to taking up personal training and coaching in 1953. He has served as an international athletics judge and an amateur sports administrator who was on committees for several international sporting events in Yugoslavia, including the 1984 Winter Olympics
. As of September 2010 he was the second-oldest living Slovenian Olympic competitor.
near Črnomelj
in 1920. He ran his first official race, at 100 metres, on his seventeenth birthday and won it, eventually growing to specialize in this and the 200-metre distance. Athletically active during high school, he furthered his training at a special sports institute in Belgrade. He eventually became a member of JSD Partizan, a military sports club based out of Belgrade
, at which point his athletic career began to take off. He captured numerous local and state championships and earned records in the 100 and 200 metre disciplines prior to taking his career international and representing Yugoslavia
abroad.
Among Račič's sixteen international appearances for the country were the 1946 European Athletics Championships in Oslo
and the 1950 edition in Brussels
, as well as several editions of the Balkan Games
. During this time, at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
, he was eliminated in the semifinals of the men's 400 metres competition and did not make it out of the opening round of the men's 4 x 400 metres relay. He was not permitted to bring a sports trainer, but was instead accompanied by a political agent to ensure that he did not stray from his nation's communist
ideology. He achieved his personal best time of 49 seconds at 400 metres the following year. Throughout his career he set over twenty national records at various sprint distances.
and Kuwait
. He was eventually certified as an international athletics judge, a role in which, as of 2009, he continues to serve. On the administrative side he worked on committees that helped organize the 1979 Mediterranean Games
in Split
, the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
, and the 1987 Summer Universiade
in Zagreb
. In 1997 he became the only Slovenian to receive the Gold Badge of the European Athletic Association
and in 2001 garnered recognition from the International Olympic Committee
for his contribution to amateur sports. As of September 2010 he was the second-oldest living Slovenian Olympic athlete, behind Tone Pogačnik
, and was working on a book detailing the history of Slovenian athletics based on his research as well as his personal experiences.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n athlete who participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Representing Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, he advanced to the semi-finals of the men's 400 metre competition, but did not make it beyond the opening round of the men's 4 x 400 metres relay. A local and state sprinting record holder, Račič competed internationally for many years and made appearances at the 1946 and 1950 European Athletics Championships prior to taking up personal training and coaching in 1953. He has served as an international athletics judge and an amateur sports administrator who was on committees for several international sporting events in Yugoslavia, including the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. As of September 2010 he was the second-oldest living Slovenian Olympic competitor.
Early life and athletic career
Račič was born in AdlešičiAdlešiči
Adlešiči is a settlement on the left bank of the Kolpa River in the Municipality of Črnomelj in the White Carniola area of southeastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola and is now included in the Southeast Slovenia statistical region...
near Črnomelj
Crnomelj
Črnomelj is a town and municipality in southeastern Slovenia. It lies on the left bank of the Lahinja and Dobličica rivers. The municipality is at the heart of the area of White Carniola, the southeastern part of the traditional region of Lower Carniola...
in 1920. He ran his first official race, at 100 metres, on his seventeenth birthday and won it, eventually growing to specialize in this and the 200-metre distance. Athletically active during high school, he furthered his training at a special sports institute in Belgrade. He eventually became a member of JSD Partizan, a military sports club based out of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, at which point his athletic career began to take off. He captured numerous local and state championships and earned records in the 100 and 200 metre disciplines prior to taking his career international and representing Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
abroad.
Among Račič's sixteen international appearances for the country were the 1946 European Athletics Championships in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and the 1950 edition in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, as well as several editions of the Balkan Games
Balkan Games
The Balkan Games are a regional multi-sport event held between nations from the Balkans. The first Games were held in Athens in 1929, and the most recent LXV Games were held in Larisa in 2010.-Organization:...
. During this time, at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he was eliminated in the semifinals of the men's 400 metres competition and did not make it out of the opening round of the men's 4 x 400 metres relay. He was not permitted to bring a sports trainer, but was instead accompanied by a political agent to ensure that he did not stray from his nation's communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
ideology. He achieved his personal best time of 49 seconds at 400 metres the following year. Throughout his career he set over twenty national records at various sprint distances.
Later life
After his competitive period ended, Račič chose to pursue athletics as life-long work. He began his career as a trainer in 1953 and served as coach of the Slovenian women's national athletic team from 1960 through 1968. In addition to roles in his native country, he also coached in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. He was eventually certified as an international athletics judge, a role in which, as of 2009, he continues to serve. On the administrative side he worked on committees that helped organize the 1979 Mediterranean Games
1979 Mediterranean Games
The 8th edition of the Mediterranean Games was held in Split, Yugoslavia from 15 to 29 September 1979. Fourteen nations competed in 26 different sports.The games' mascot was the Mediterranean Monk Seal Adrijana.-Medal table:...
in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, and the 1987 Summer Universiade
1987 Summer Universiade
The 1987 Summer Universiade, also known as the XIV Summer Universiade, took place in Zagreb, Croatia . It involved participants from 111 countries and over 6,000 individual sportspersons and members of teams.-Medal table:...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. In 1997 he became the only Slovenian to receive the Gold Badge of the European Athletic Association
European Athletic Association
The European Athletic Association is the European governing body for the sport of athletics.- History :In 1932, during a meeting of the International Amateur Athletic Federation in Los Angeles, a special committee was designated by the Council with the task of reviewing the conditions for the...
and in 2001 garnered recognition from the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
for his contribution to amateur sports. As of September 2010 he was the second-oldest living Slovenian Olympic athlete, behind Tone Pogačnik
Tone Pogačnik
Anton "Tone" Pogačnik is a Slovenian cross-country skier who participated in the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He was born in Jesenice. In the Men's 18 km competition, he placed 56th with a time of 1'29:08...
, and was working on a book detailing the history of Slovenian athletics based on his research as well as his personal experiences.