Elzan Bibić

Elzan Bibić
Bibić at the ISTAF Berlin in 2019
Personal information
NationalitySerbian
Born (1999-01-08) 8 January 1999 (age 25)
Karajukića Bunari, Sjenica, FR Yugoslavia
Height1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)[1]
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
Sport
CountrySerbia
SportAthletics
Event1500 m5000 m
Coached byRifat Zilkić
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1500 m: 3:35.07[2]
5000 m: 13:24.42[2]
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Serbia
European Indoor Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Istanbul 3000 m
European U23 Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Gävle 1500 m
European Youth Olympic Festival
Gold medal – first place 2015 Tbilisi 3000 m
Silver medal – second place 2015 Tbilisi 1500 m
European Youth Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Tbilisi 3000 m
European Cross Country Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Szentendre Junior race

Elzan Bibić (Serbian Cyrillic: Елзан Бибић; born 8 January 1999) is a Serbian middle- and long-distance runner. He won the bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the 2019 European Under-23 Championships.

Bibić was the 3000 metres 2016 European youth champion and won a bronze for the men's junior race at the 2018 European Cross Country Championships. He earned several Serbian national titles both out and indoors (1500 m and 3000 m).

Bibić won the bronze medal in the event at the 2023 European Indoor Championships.

Running career

[edit]

Bibić initially played soccer before training as a distance runner.[3] He won the boys' 3000-meter race at the 2015 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival with a time of 8:50.10.[3]

"I discovered [Elzan] by chance, like dear God sent him. I know everyone else is surprised at his latest results, but I'm not in the slightest. I didn't doubt he was going to win in Tbilisi in the 3000 meters, maybe he could have won in the 1500." -Bibić's coach, Rifat Zilkić in August 2015.[3]

On July 7, 2017, he won a 3000-meter race at a track meet in Zenica, after which he felt knee pain. Shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with damaged ligaments in his knee, his first serious injury.[4]

On September 4, 2018, Bibić ran his then personal best of 3:37.79 (and still reigning Serbian U20 national record[5]) in the men's 1500 meters at the Hanžeković Memorial meet in Zagreb, finishing in last place among a deep international field led by first place finisher Elijah Manangoi.[6]

In the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade he finished 6th in the Heat 2 of 3000 meter race with the time of 7:52.78 and did not progress to the finals.[7]

Personal life

[edit]

Bibić was born in Karajukića Bunari, known as the "Siberia" of Serbia due to extremely cold temperatures which are frequently recorded there.[4] Karajukića Bunari is above 1,000 meters in altitude, as it is located on a plateau called Pešter. Bibić went to a medical trade school in his hometown, Novi Pazar.[3] His parents were athletes growing up. His father Murat played soccer and his mother Fatima played volleyball.[3]

International competitions

[edit]
Representing  Serbia
Year Competition Venue Position Event Result
2015 European Youth Olympic Festival Tbilisi, Georgia 2nd 1500 m 4:01.62
1st 3000 m 8:50.10
2016 Balkan Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 1st 3000 m 8:16.72
European Youth Championships Tbilisi, Georgia 8th 800 m 1:56.12
1st 3000 m 8:09.06
World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 11th 1500 m 3:51.58
8th 5000 m 13:51.40
2017 Balkan Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia 1st 3000 m 8:06.98
2018 Balkan Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 1st 3000 m 8:08.34
Mediterranean Games Tarragona, Spain 1500 m DNF
13th 5000 m 14:32.05
World U20 Championships Tampere, Finland 6th 1500 m 3:44.65
8th 5000 m 14:15.37
Balkan Championships Stara Zagora, Bulgaria 1st 1500 m 3:43.36
1st 3000 m 8:15.06
European Cross Country Championships Tilburg, Netherlands 3rd U20 race 18:11
2019 Balkan Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 1st 1500 m 3:43.13
European Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 13th (h) 1500 m 3:47.94
European U23 Championships Gävle, Sweden 3rd 1500 m 3:50.90
8th 5000 m 14:26.40
2020 Balkan Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 1st 1500 m 3:50.18
2021 Balkan Championships Smederevo, Serbia 1st 1500 m 3:52.23
European U23 Championships Tallinn, Estonia 4th 1500 m 3:40.91
2022 World Indoor Championships Belgrade, Serbia 13th (h) 3000 m 7:52.78
Mediterranean Games Oran, Algeria 10th 1500 m 3:45.42
European Championships Munich, Germany 18th 5000 m 13:39.60
2023 European Indoor Championships Istanbul, Turkey 3rd 3000 m 7:44.03
World Championships Budapest, Hungary 31st (h) 1500 m 3:37.45
2024 World Indoor Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom 8th (h) 1500 m 3:39.98
European Championships Rome, Italy 6th 5000 m 13:24.54
Olympic Games Paris, France 32nd (h) 5000 m 14:14.46

Personal bests

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "EAA profile". European Athletics. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Elzan BIBIĆ - Athlete Profile". IAAF. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e Prvoslav Lešević (August 13, 2015). "Nikada neću zaboraviti Tbilisi". Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Prvoslav Lešević (October 1, 2017). "Vraća se nikad jači El' Bibo". Danas (in Serbian). Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  5. ^ "Serbian athletics federation, national records of Serbia" (PDF).
  6. ^ [1] 68. Memorijal Borisa Hanžekovića - 1500 m Men - Results. September 4, 2018. Accessed January 18, 2019.
  7. ^ "World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2022-05-29.