News

Croatian media remembered canoeist Matija Ljubek this fall, 20 years after his tragic death when he was shot to death by his brother-in-law at the age of 46. Journalists pointed out he was maybe even the greatest Croatian sportsman ever and Olympic sensation.

 

 

The news story of a superhero starts taking the readers back to small town of Belišće, where young Matija played football, tried athletics and loved weightlifting. But with rich tradition of canoeing on his hometown, he decided to give it a try with a boat and a paddle.

 

 

In the mid 1970s he came to fame at the age of 21 when he won bronze medal at World Championships in Belgrade in the 10.000 metres event. Next year he participated at his first Olympic Games in Montreal.

 

 

"At the night before the race I could not sleep. I was thinking what if the wind will be so strong as during the training. What if the wind changes direction," Ljubek was saying before the race. The race day was windless like Matija hoped and he won gold medal in the C1 1000 metres final. Not only this, he returned from Canada with bronze medal in 500 metres race.

 

 

He did not stop, winning medals at World Championships and Mediterranean Games in the following years.

 

 

The Olympic Games in Moscow brought first great disappointment for him. In C2 together with Mirko Nišović he won bronze medal but later Soviets advanced to third position and Yugoslav duo were left without a medal. After the disappointment they worked even harder for 1984 Olympic Games and won gold and silver medal.

 

 

Ljubek finished his sporting career with 300 medals. Even after the end of career as an athlete he remained in sport. He was vice-president of Croatian Olympic Committee and served as Chef de Mission of Croatian Olympic delegation at 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

 

 

Shortly after the return from Australia was killed by his brother-in-law following a family dispute. In his honour, the life-sized statue has been unveiled in his hometown Belišće.