Dragan Perić

Dragan Perić (, born 8 May 1964) is a Serbian shot putter who occasionally competed in the discus throw. He holds the Serbian records in both events. He represented Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro in four consecutive Summer Olympics from 1992 to 2004, in eight World Championships from 1991 to 2005 and three European Championships from 1990 to 1998.

Early career and international medals He was born in Živinice, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, but represented the clubs AK Sloboda Tuzla, AK Slavonija Osijek, AK Partizan and AK Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade. Before athletics, Dragan practised boxing. His former coaches were Nikola Tomasović, Dmitar Marceta and Veljko Čegar. His first European Championships was in 1990 in Split in his home country (then) Yugoslavia. Perić finished twelfth in the shot put final. He then finished seventh at the 1991 World Championships, seventh at the 1992 Olympic Games, fifth at the 1993 World Championships. In 1994, he won the silver medal at the European Indoor Championships, and finished sixth at both the 1994 European Championships and the IAAF Grand Prix Final. After that he won the bronze medal at the 1995 World Indoor Championships.

He became Yugoslav shot put champion every year from 1991 through 2001, except for one year, 1995. He also became discus champion in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1997. When the country Serbia and Montenegro was formed he won several national titles there too.

He set his personal best in the shot put in this period, with 21.77 metres in April 1998 in Bar, Montenegro. He never threw over 21 metres again. He failed to even pass 20 metres in 2000 and 2002, but continued setting such marks for some years. His last season over 20 metres was in 2006, when he put 20.34 metres in September in Zenica. In the discus throw his personal best throw was 61.94 metres, achieved in May 1991 in Belgrade.

1993 World Championships Stuttgart, Germany 5th Shot put 19.95 m

European Indoor Championships Paris, France

Shot put 20.55 m European Championships Helsinki, Finland 6th Shot put 19.40 m 1995 World Indoor Championships Barcelona, Spain

Shot put 20.36 m 1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 8th Shot put 20.07 m 1997 World Championships Athens, Greece 18th (q) Shot put 19.05 m

European Indoor Championships Valencia, Spain 4th Shot put 20.21 m European Championships Budapest, Hungary 4th Shot put 20.65 m 1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 6th Shot put 20.35 m 2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 16th (q) Shot put 19.49 m 2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada 5th Shot put 20.91 m 2003 World Championships Paris, France 17th (q) Shot put 19.55 m 2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 32nd (q) Shot put 18.91 m 2005 World Championships Helsinki, Finland 17th (q) Shot put 19.46 m