Stevan HORVAT

Stevan Horvat started his wrestling career with Radnički in Sombor in 1946, later moving to Spartak Subotica, and in 1952 became a member of Partizan Beograd. During his wrestling career from 1955-68, he never lost domestically and he won his first international medal, a gold, at the 1959 Mediterranean Games. Following that, Horvat won three European Championships and two World titles in 1963 and 1966, also winning silver medals at the Worlds in 1961 and 1965. His greatest regret was not winning Olympic gold, but he came through with a silver medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. However, Horvat was most proud of the Pierre Coubertin Fair Play prize he received in 1966, one of the first athletes to be awarded this, for refusing the gold medal at the World Championships after two of his strongest opponents had been disqualified

Following his sporting career, Horvat graduated from the Zagreb University of Physical Education in 1972, where he also obtained the title of Magisterium. In 1975, he began teaching at the University of Physical Education in Novi Sad, where he taught martial arts until his retirement.