FCN x World Athletics: An Interview With...Ashley Kovacs

To celebrate the World Athletics Championships in Eugene from 15th – 24th July 2022, founder of the FCN Vicky Huyton and Athletics Irelands Lilly-Ann O’Hora are interviewing a number of Track & Field coaches involved with the World Championships themselves.

The interviews delve into the different roles each of the interviewee coaches will have at the Championships; whether that be a Team Coach as part of a Nations Team Staff, or Personal Coach to one of the 1900 competing at the Games.

“This is a super exciting opportunity to understand the coaches role at a major championships, including what has been involved in the preparation for the Champs and what day to day looks like for each coach at the Champs. It gives us all a unique chance to learn about a side of performance coaching that is rarely shared, and an insight into demands on coaches at such a big event. Lilly-Ann and I have been inspired by each and every coach we have spoken to, thanks to World Athletics for giving us this opportunity, we hope the interviews inspire listeners as much as they have both os us.“

Vicky Huyton – founder of the FCN

Videos of the interviews will appear on the World Athletics websites, and we hope to link them all below as they are published.

Keep your eyes peeled for guest announcements!

Ashely Kovacs

One of the most highly-respected throws coaches in the World, Ashley Kovacs has coached a world champion and Olympic medallist, three NCAA champions, 17 All-Americans, 24 conference champions, 31 NCAA appearances, three regional Athlete of the Year honorees, six top-3 finishes at NCAAs, and 10 conference championship teams.

Ashley is currently an Assistant Coach at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, having also coached at Ohio State, Western Kentucky and Murray State.

At the 2019 World Athletics Championships, Ashely coached her husband Joe to win Gold in what is possibly the greatest Shot put competition of all time, as he threw 22.91cm for a Championship record to beat USA rival Ryan Crouser.

At this years World Championships, Ashley is a Team Coach for the USA team, as well as personal coach to two shot putters Joe Kovacs and Adelaide Aquilla.