by Nathalie Rosen
Editor’s note: an earlier version of this story originally appeared in TheMBNews.com.
Manhattan Beach native Dan Golubovic’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics didn’t unfold as hoped. Despite entering the Games with high expectations, buoyed by a silver medal at last year’s Commonwealth Games, he finished 19th overall in the decathlon.
Golubovic announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the Olympics.
He didn’t set out with dreams of becoming an Olympian decathlete. Golubovic began his athletic career as a motocross athlete and was nudged towards track by his family, then nurtured by his coaches at Mira Costa High School.
Finishing among the top 20 decathletes in the world was something short of his goal, and didn’t result in a medal. But it was nonetheless a triumph. Golubovic expressed no disappointment in his post-event comments on the Olympics’ official website.
“You know what? There are good days in sport, and there are bad days in sport,” he said. “I had a couple of rough ones, but this was the most incredible experience of my career. The crowd, the environment, being in the Village surrounded by so much talent — it’s truly infectious.”
For as long as he can remember, Golubovic was immersed in the sports culture of Manhattan Beach. His parents, Dan Sr. and Darcy, instilled in him a love for competition and physical activity.
“My parents believed in keeping us busy with sports,” Golubovic said in an interview prior to the Olympics. “It laid the foundation for everything that followed.”
Golubovic’s journey took a pivotal turn in middle school when he became captivated by motocross. Concerned about the risks involved, his father encouraged him to balance motocross with a team sport at Mira Costa High School. Golubovic chose track and field, initially focusing on the high jump. Under the guidance of coaches like Beau Beavers, Golubovic’s natural athleticism quickly flourished.
“Coach Beavers saw potential in me and suggested I try the decathlon,” Golubovic remembers. “He and Murray Mead dedicated weekends to teach me the intricacies of each event — discus, javelin, and more.”
Golubovic’s talent and dedication earned him a spot at UC San Diego, where he competed in the decathlon for three years, despite sitting out his freshman year due to poor academic performance in his first semester.
“I initially struggled to find the balance between sport and school,” he said. “I soon realized I needed to be competitive in the classroom and on the track, and I ended up graduating with academic honors.”
His fourth year of eligibility took him to Duke University, where he pursued a Master’s in Management at the Fuqua School of Business while continuing his athletic career. “Duke offered world-class training facilities and a competitive environment that pushed me to excel,” Golubovic said.
At Duke where he set impressive records and solidified his aspirations for Olympic glory.
Land Down Under
An unexpected turn of events brought Golubovic to Australia when his grandmother fell ill in 2019. While there, Golubovic connected with Australian athletes and experienced their intense training environment firsthand.
“Training with Australian athletes opened my eyes to a new level of dedication and professionalism,” Golubovic said.
Golubic held dual citizenship, and was inspired by what he found in Australia, so made the strategic decision to compete for the Australian national team.
“It felt right,” he said. “Australia has always held a special place in my heart.”
Golubovic jokes about how his Grandview kindergarten teachers struggled to understand him when he started elementary school, still speaking with an Australian accent, despite having only ever lived in Manhattan Beach.
He initially intended to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The pandemic delayed those Olympics for a year, and during that year Golubovic experienced a series of setbacks. He suffered a patella chondral fracture during Australia’s national championships, necessitating knee surgery just seven weeks before the last Olympic qualification competition. The new qualification system, which weighed competition locations alongside performance, added significant pressure amid lingering COVID-related travel restrictions in Australia. Despite achieving a personal best, Golubovic’s standout performance at a local competition fell just short of qualification. Golubovic described the experience as akin to a near-perfect story halted abruptly.
“It’s like throwing a massive Hail Mary,” he said, “and getting taken down at the one-yard line.”
The road to Paris
That missed Olympic opportunity, he said, resulted in many blessings — most significantly, he met his wife, and started a family. He advises aspiring athletes to take life lessons from the challenges they face — hard work, strategic planning, and a balanced approach help maintain perspective through setbacks. As befitting an endurance athlete, he met his own challenges with equanimity.
“Every career has its ups and downs,” Golubovic said.
As he prepared for the Paris Olympics, Golubovic’s training regimen was highly structured and adapted to the ever-changing demands of decathlon, especially as athletes age.
“Consistency is key,” Golubovic said. “The most successful athletes are those who can stay injury-free and maintain their health throughout the season.”
His weekly schedule included touching on every event at least once, with a focus on three sprint sessions, an aerobic track session, and a mid-week bike session.
“I align my gym sessions strategically,” Golubovic said, “often coupling them with sprint days to optimize recovery time.”
A significant part of Golubovic’s training revolved around recovery.
“Proper nutrition, ample sleep, and regular physiotherapy are non-negotiable,” Golubovic said, stressing the delicate balance required in decathlon training to avoid injuries while still achieving the necessary volume. “Even minor lapses in preparation can lead to setbacks.”
The road to Paris wasn’t just an athletic challenge, but a time-management and life/work equation that had to be balanced. For the past three years, Golubovic managed a demanding, full-time role as a pricing analyst at Shell Energy while maintaining a rigorous training schedule, often dedicating 70 to 80 hours per week to both pursuits.
“It was definitely challenging,” Golubovic said. “In athletics, especially Olympic sports, funding isn’t as abundant as in team sports.”
As the Olympics approached, he transitioned to working part-time. He prioritized recovery and honed his training regime as he qualified for Paris. “Finding this balance has been critical,” Golubovic emphasizes, “not only for my athletic performance but for my overall well-being.”
His hometown is a big part of that balance. The tight-knit community of Manhattan Beach has always played a crucial role in Golubovic’s journey. From an early childhood memory of participating in the Opening Day Little League parade, where he felt the community’s overwhelming support and envisioned a future as a professional athlete, Manhattan Beach has been more than just a place to live — it’s a community that nurtures dreams.
“It’s incredible how this community rallies behind its own,” said Golubovic’s father, Dan Sr. “Manhattan Beach breeds champions, not just in sports but in life.”
Golubovic also credited his family, both here and down under, whose unrelenting support humbled him.
“Their encouragement fueled me,” Golubovic said. “I felt privileged to represent Australia on the world stage.”
Golubovic said, if he had to choose, the 110m hurdles was probably his favored decathlon event. But he said his success as a decathlete stemmed from his versatility.
“I could pick up a bunch of different skills easily,” he said. “While I may not have been as strong in any of them as an individual competitor, my ability to do all of them, all the time, was where I shined.
Throughout his training, Golubovic remained focused while cherishing the moments spent with his family and community.
“It was about more than medals,” he reflects. “It was about the journey and the people who believed in me every step of the way.”
And now comes the best part. Returning to where it all began.
“Manhattan Beach has always been home,” he shared. “I hope to establish roots there after my athletic career. The foundation and lifestyle that growing up in Manhattan Beach granted me is something I cherish, and something I would like my own kids to experience as well.” ER
