Amidst a thunderous roar from the stands, Joe Kovacs clinched bronze at Stade Olympique, Rabat, with a mark of 21.52 on May 25, 2025. The Nazareth native’s best throw at 23.23m has been his personal best, and he won silver at the Paris Olympics with the mark of 22.15m in the finals.

But Kovacs’ journey wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. 8 months before the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, the 2-time world champion had a difficult decision to make. He was on the brink of quitting the sport for good. Good thing he didn’t! The championships were a turning point for him, but who motivates the 2-time world champion? Let’s find out!

Who is Joe Kovacs’ father?

Joe Kovacs’ father is Joseph Kovacs, who was a schoolteacher. Joe was named after his father and was fondly known as “Little Joey” for most of his childhood. But when the shotput champion was 8 years old, his father was diagnosed with colon cancer. His illness had already gotten pretty serious by the time doctors found it. After the diagnosis, Joseph underwent surgery to curb it, but it had already progressed.

Joseph spent 2 years in a coma, and after that, he unfortunately passed away. Even though he had surgery and tried some alternative treatments in Germany, he sadly passed away after spending two months in a coma. Joe still holds onto the good memories of his dad and often points to the sky before his competitions as a way of honoring him. Though Joe lost his father so early in his life, his mother stood by him and helped him to get where he is right now.

Who is Joe Kovacs’ mother?

Joe Kovacs’ mother, Joanna Kovacs, is a former athlete and schoolteacher. Joe Kovacs hails from Nazareth in Pennsylvania, but he was born in Bethlehem. Joseph and Joanna Kovacs both graduated from East Stroudsburg University and got married shortly after in December 1985. His mother fondly remembers him as a “compassionate, caring person” as a child. She was a 12-time district champion in shot put, discus, and javelin during her high school years and was named her school’s Ideal Female Athlete in 1983.

“It was the worst time in my life, but I had my mom,” Joe once recalled when talking about his father. But he also did his part by helping make the process easier for his mom. His mother once told Team USA that when she asked him to put away the groceries, he had put 10 potatoes wherever he could find a spot on the shelf. His mother may be one of the strongest people he’s come across, but she is also a former athlete herself.
Joe Kovacs’ mother, Joanna, was a 2-time district champion in high school and competed in discus, javelin, and shot put. Joe Kovacs initially started out as a football lineman. But he wasn’t the strongest and decided to join the track and field team to work on his form. He first focused on jumps and the 100m speed to improve his speed. But one fine day, he found older students practicing throws with plates and balls in the parking lot. Intrigued, Kovacs decided to join in. And this soon became an after-school session for the Olympian. Joanna happened to notice his incorrect technique one day while picking him up, she knew she had to help! She wanted to help him improve and started befriending officials from the school.

When the head coach noticed, he asked her to take on the vacant role of the school’s throwing coach. And the rest, as they say, is history! Joe Kovacs’ mother shaped his career. All it took was one incorrect throw for Joanna to step in. “She had the mentality that if you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this right,” Joe recalls. His mother knew he was just doing this to do better in football, but she wanted him to focus on one goal. “You’re not going to just have a good time. You’re going to look to win.” With her help, Kovacs decided to adopt the “Glide” technique in the sport at a summer track clinic. But when Olympic bronze medalist Reese Hoffa asked him to switch his technique, Joanna and Joe knew he had to put in more work.

To make sure the 2-time world champion had a fair shot, Joanna decided to reach out to Glenn Thompson in Harrisburg and often make the long trip every Sunday to train with him. It worked, because he left high school as an All-State in football and had clinched the title of a champion in Discus and Shot Put at the PIAA state meet! Apart from coaching him, Joanna Kovacs was incredibly supportive throughout his collegiate career. She would make sure to travel to every meet Joe competed in. She once made a last-minute trip to a meeting in Texas because the tone of Kovacs’ voice made her believe he would make a great throw. While it wasn’t anything extraordinary, Joanna doesn’t regret it one bit. “I didn’t want to miss a big throw,” she recalled. Throughout his career, Joanna never fails to save his competition prizes and newspaper clippings.

Joanna might not be the Olympian’s coach now, but she has been right by his side as he slowly made his way to the top. While we don’t know if he will compete at the 2025 Nike Outdoor Nationals, scheduled for June 19-22 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, one thing’s for certain: Joanna Kovacs’ cheers from the stands will be the loudest.

Apart from coaching him, Joanna Kovacs was incredibly supportive throughout his collegiate career. She would make sure to travel to every meet Joe competed in. She once made a last-minute trip to a meet in Texas because the tone of Kovacs’ voice made her believe he would make a great throw. While it wasn’t anything extraordinary, Joanna doesn’t regret it one bit. “I didn’t want to miss a big throw,” she recalled. Throughout his career, Joanna never fails to save his competition prizes and newspaper clippings.

Joanna might not be the Olympian’s coach now, but she has been right by his side as he slowly made his way to the top. Joanna Kovacs will be cheering loudly from the stands, no matter what. Whether he competes at the 2025 Nike Outdoor Nationals, scheduled for June 19–22, is still unconfirmed.

What is Joe Kovacs’ parents’ nationality?

Joe Kovacs’ parents, Joseph and Joanna Kovacs, are American nationals.