Serbia’s water polo team won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, thus defending its title from Rio Water polo team
S erbia’s Dolphins have once again shown that water polo is a sport that many play, but that Serbia ultimately wins, with this year’s victo- ry representing its sixth consecutive Olympic medal. Our water polo players have brought us so much joy at different Olympic Games that it can no longer be described in an adequate way. Is it neces- sary to stress that we’re a country of water polo? And to underline, we’re a landlocked country. Collected works could be penned about Serbia’s wa- ter polo players, covering 20 volumes. And the kind of people they are could best be seen by the emotions with which they approached the special parting of ways with the seven greats. Filipović, Prlainović, Aleksić, the Pijet- lović brothers, Stefan and Bane Mitrović, these human boulders, will no longer play for the national team. They said their goodbyes with style, although they didn’t have to, just to avoid occupying the places of younger ones. Yet more proof of their greatness. Nevertheless, occupying a special place in the hearts of all water polo players, but also the rest of us, is De- jan Savić. That benevolent giant. A man who has won everything, but who doesn’t gloat about it, because mod- esty is a virtue. And Dejan really doesn’t talk much. With him it’s deeds that work. “It didn’t take that much strength, it was more about the psychological element and everything that these boys endured from childhood, then growing up through the national team, and the last eight years with me. I now understand what it’s like for my wife,” said Savić in jest. These are the members of Serbian sports’ best team: Gojko Pijetlović, Dušan Mandić, Nikola Dedović, Sa- va Ranđelović, Đorđe Lazić, Duško Pijetlović, Strahin- ja Rašović, Milan Aleksić, Nikola Jakšić, Filip Filipović, Andrija Prlainović, Stefan Mitrović, Branislav Mitrović and coach Dejan Savić. Tokyo marked the culmination of the journey of a generation, but that generation doesn’t have to worry, because it’s seen that there are those who can succeed it! They went down in history with the song “And now adieu”. Adieu and thanks!
Posebno mesto u srcima svih vaterpolista zauzima Dejan Savić A special place in the hearts of all water polo players is occupied by Dejan Savić
ne zauzimaju mesta. Eto još jednog dokaza veličine. Pa ipak, posebno mesto u srcima svih vaterpo- lista, ali i svih nas, zauzima Dejan Savić. Taj dobro- ćudni div. Čovek koji je osvojio sve, a ne mangupira se, jer skromnost je vrlina. Dejan mnogo i ne govo- ri. Kod njega rade dela. – Nije toliko snage trebalo, više je bilo do psiho- loškog momenta i svega što su ovi dečaci istrpeli od detinjstva, pa odrastanja i kroz reprezentaciju, a i po- slednjih osam godina sa mnom. Sada sam shvatio ka- ko je mojoj ženi – u šali je rekao Savić. Ovo su članovi najboljeg tima srpskog sporta: Gojko Pijetlović, Dušan Mandić, Nikola Dedović, Sa- va Ranđelović, Đorđe Lazić, Duško Pijetlović, Strahi- nja Rašović, Milan Aleksić, Nikola Jakšić, Filip Fili- pović, Andrija Prlainović, Stefan Mitrović, Branislav Mitrović i selektor Dejan Savić. U Tokiju je svoj put završila jedna generacije, koja ne mora da brine, jer je videla da ima ko da je nasledi! Otišli su u istoriju uz pesmu „A sad adio“. Adio i hvala!
Olympic games» Olimpijske Igre | 105
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