Ivana Španović facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ivana Španović

Španović in 2022
Personal information
Birth name	Ivana Španović
Nationality	Serbian
Born	(1990-05-10) 10 May 1990 (age 35) Zrenjanin, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.76 m
Weight	65 kg
Sport
Country	Serbia
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Long jump
Club	AK Vojvodina
Coached by	Goran Obradović
Achievements and titles
World finals	2013 Moscow Long jump, 3 Bronze 2015 Beijing Long jump, 3 Bronze 2017 London Long jump, 4th 2022 Eugene Long jump, 7th 2023 Budapest Long jump, 1 Gold
Olympic finals	2008 Beijing Long jump, 30th (q) 2012 London Long jump, 8th 2016 Rio de Janeiro Long jump, 3 Bronze 2020 Tokyo Long jump, 4th
Highest world ranking	1st (2023)
Personal best(s)	Long jump: 7.14 m (23 ft 4.97736221 in) NR (Budapest 2023) Indoors Long jump: 7.24 m (23 ft 8.91437008 in)i NR (Belgrade 2017)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Serbia Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 0 1 World Championships 1 0 2 World Indoor Championships 2 1 1 European Championships 2 1 0 European Indoor Championships 3 0 1 Total 8 2 5 Olympic Games Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro Long jump World Championships Gold 2023 Budapest Long jump Bronze 2013 Moscow Long jump Bronze 2015 Beijing Long jump World Indoor Championships Gold 2018 Birmingham Long jump Gold 2022 Belgrade Long jump Silver 2016 Portland Long jump Bronze 2014 Sopot Long jump European Championships Gold 2016 Amsterdam Long jump Gold 2022 Munich Long jump Silver 2014 Zürich Long jump European Indoor Championships Gold 2015 Prague Long jump Gold 2017 Belgrade Long jump Gold 2019 Glasgow Long jump Bronze 2023 Istanbul Long jump Diamond League 2016 Long jump 2017 Long jump 2021 Long jump 2022 Long jump 2023 Long jump Continental Cup Silver 2014 Marrakech Long jump Mediterranean Games Gold 2018 Tarragona Long jump Universiade Gold 2009 Belgrade Long jump European Athletics U23 Championships Silver 2011 Ostrava Long jump World Junior Championships Gold 2008 Bydgoszcz Long jump European Junior Championships Silver 2009 Novi Sad Long jump World Youth Championships Silver 2007 Ostrava Long jump European Youth Olympic Festival Silver 2007 Belgrade Long jump Bronze 2007 Belgrade 4x100 m relay

Ivana Španović (born May 10, 1990) is a famous Serbian long jumper. She is also known as Ivana Vuleta. She has won many important titles. These include the 2023 World Champion title and two World Indoor Champion titles. She has also won two European outdoor and three European indoor championships. Ivana is considered one of the best female long jumpers ever. Her indoor jump of 7.24 meters is the third longest in history.

Ivana made history for Serbia in track and field. In 2013, she was the first Serbian athlete to win a medal at the World Championships. She also became the first to win a senior gold medal at the World Indoor Championships in 2018. In 2023, she won the first senior gold medal at the World Outdoor Championship for Serbia. She holds the Serbian national records for long jump, both indoors and outdoors. She is coached by Goran Obradović. She is a member of the Vojvodina Athletic Club.

Career Highlights

Ivana Španović (left) on the podium in 2011.

Early Career: 2005–2012

Ivana started her career by winning gold medals. She won at the 2008 World Junior Championships. She also won at the 2009 Summer Universiade. Serbia named her the Best Young Athlete of 2008. She also earned silver medals at several junior championships. These included the 2007 World Youth Championships.

She competed in the 2008 Olympic Games. She also reached the finals at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Breaking Through: 2013–2015

In 2013, Ivana won a bronze medal at the World Outdoor Championship. This was a new national record for her, at 6.82 meters. It was also Serbia's first medal at an outdoor World Championships. The Olympic Committee of Serbia named her the best female athlete of the year.

Ivana Španović at the 2014 European Championships.

In 2014, she won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships. She also won silver medals at the European Outdoor Championship. She improved her personal best to 6.88 meters.

In 2015, Ivana won her first senior gold medal. She became the European indoor champion. She set a new national record of 6.98 meters. She then won another bronze medal at the World Outdoor Championship. She broke her national record twice, reaching 7.01 meters. The Olympic Committee of Serbia again named her the best female athlete.

Olympic Medal and Dominance: 2016–2017

In 2016, Ivana won a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships. She broke her national record twice, reaching 7.07 meters. She then won gold at the European Outdoor Championship. Later, she won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Her jump of 7.08 meters was a new national record. This was Serbia's first athletics medal at the Olympics in 60 years. She also won the 2016 Diamond League in long jump. She won 5 out of 7 meetings, a new record.

In 2017, Ivana had an amazing win at the European Indoor Championships in Belgrade. She broke her national record twice in the final. Her jump of 7.24 meters is the third best indoor jump ever. It was also the best performance in 18 years. During the World Outdoor Championships, she faced a tough competition. She finished 4th with 6.96 meters. After this, she won the Diamond League in long jump for the second time.

World Titles and Challenges: 2018–2021

In 2018, Ivana won her first world title. She won the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham with 6.96 meters. This made her the first Serbian athlete to win a senior world title in athletics. She also won gold at the Mediterranean Games. An injury later forced her to miss the European Championships final.

In 2019, Ivana recovered from her injury. She won another gold medal at the European Indoor Championships. She matched a world indoor leading mark of 6.99 meters. This made her a three-time winner of this event. However, more injuries forced her to miss the World Championships in Doha.

In 2020, Ivana had a foot injury. She ended her season early. She only competed once that year. In 2021, she injured her leg again. This made her miss the European Indoor Championships. Later, she had success in the Diamond League. She won events in Florence, Stockholm, and Lausanne. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she finished fourth. She won the Diamond League long jump title for the third time that year.

Continued Success and Retirement Plans: 2022–Present

Ivana Vuleta at the 2022 World Indoor Championships.

In 2022, Ivana, then known as Vuleta, won the World Indoor Championships again. She jumped 7.06 meters, the best indoor jump of the year. This was her fourth medal in this event. After a 7th place at the World Outdoor Championships, she had a great end to the season. She won gold at the European Championships in Munich with 7.06 meters. This was the best jump at European Championships since 1998. She then won the 2022 Diamond League final. This was her fourth Diamond League long jump title. The Olympic Committee of Serbia named her Sportswoman of The Year for the third time.

Her 2023 season was very memorable. In March, she won a bronze medal at the European Indoor Championship. In August, she achieved her dream. She became the outdoor World Champion with a jump of 7.14 meters. This was Serbia's first gold medal at an outdoor World Championships. In September, she announced she plans to retire after the 2024 Summer Olympics. She won the 2023 Diamond League final, her fifth title in this event. The Olympic Committee of Serbia named her the best Sportswoman of The Year for the fourth time.

In 2024, an Achilles tendon injury limited her competitions. She competed twice before the Olympics. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she did not qualify for the final. She jumped 6.51 meters, just short of the needed distance.

Ivana has won 19 victories in the Diamond League circuit. This is a record for women's long jump. She has also won two World Challenge events. Since 2013, Ivana has won 15 medals in major competitions. She holds 31 national senior records for Serbia.

Achievements

Personal Bests

Circuit Wins and Titles

Ivana has won the overall Diamond League long jump title five times:

• 2016
• 2017
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023

She has won many individual Diamond League meetings:

• 2013: Stockholm
• 2014: Eugene, Zürich
• 2015: Monaco, Zürich
• 2016: Shanghai, Oslo, Stockholm, Lausanne, Paris
• 2017: Lausanne, Brussels
• 2021: Florence, Stockholm, Lausanne, Zürich
• 2022: Zürich
• 2023: Xiamen, Eugene

National Titles

• Serbian Athletics Championships
  • Long jump: 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019
• Serbian Indoor Athletics Championships
  • 60 metres: 2015
  • Long jump: 2013, 2015, 2021, 2022

Honours

• Order of Karađorđe's Star
• Order of Njegoš

Personal Life

Ivana's parents are Ljubiša and Vesna Španović. Her mother was also an athlete. Ivana likes to have a unique and fun personal style. She often competes with brightly colored nails.

Ivana married Marko Vuleta in September 2021. She officially took his last name after they got married.