 Cova akatanga kuzivikanwa paEuropean Championships ya1982 muAthens, kwaakashamisika achipfuura Werner Schildhauer wekuEast Germany, kuti akunde mukombe wake wekutanga wepasi rose. Gore rakatevera racho, Cova akanga asiri iye anonyanya kufarirwa paMakwikwi Okutanga ePasimuHelsinki, achifungidzirwa chete somunhu angangokunda menduru. Mhedziso yemamita 10 000 muHelsinki yakamhanya zvishoma nezvishoma, nevatambi gumi nevatatu vachiri muboka rinotungamirira pakuridza bhero. Nemamita 30 chete okupedzisira, Cova akanga ari panzvimbo yechishanu chete, asi ipapo akamhanyira mberi kuti akunde. Schildhauer akapedza ari wechipiri. Vamhanyi vana vokutanga vakamhanyira kumugumo mumasekonzi 0.33 ona Yleisurheilun MM-kisat Helsingissä Athletics World Championships in Helsinki, rakanyorwa nemagazini yeJuoksijaRunner, Helsinki: 1983. 