1974 European 800m champion Luciano Sušanj passes away at 75

1974 European 800m champion Luciano Sušanj has passed away at the age of 75.

Sušanj, a Croatian politician, sports worker, and track athlete who competed for Yugoslavia, died in Rijeka in April 2024.

His most notable achievement came at the 1974 European Athletics Championships in Rome, where he secured victory in the 800m event with a time of 1:44.07.

This winning time remains the second fastest in European Athletics Championships history and still stands as the Croatian 800m record to this day.

In addition to his European title, Sušanj also won the 400m at the 1973 European Indoor Championships and the 800m title at the 1974 European Indoor Championships.

He accumulated numerous regional titles, including 12 Balkan titles across various events.

After retiring from competitive athletics in 1976, Sušanj remained active in the sport. He served as the President of the Croatian Athletics Federation from 2000 to 2014 and was Vice-President of the Croatian Olympic Committee.

European Athletics extends its heartfelt condolences to Sušanj’s friends, family, and the Croatian athletics community during this difficult time.