Duje Bonačić (10 April 1929 – 24 January 2020) was a
Croatian
rower who won a gold medal representing
Yugoslavia in the
coxless four event at the
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad ( fi, XV olympiadin kisat; sv, Den XV olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952 ( sv, Helsin ...
.
Bonačić was born in
Split to a
Croatian father and
Slovenian mother. He had an elder brother Vojko and a sister Nevenka. He graduated in natural sciences in
Zagreb, and took up rowing to build muscles, as he weighed only 56 kg with a height of 183 cm at the time. After retiring from competitions he worked as a professor of
geography,
meteorology and
oceanography
Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamic ...
at maritime schools and also served as a coach and referee in rowing and sailing.
After the death of
Željko Čajkovski
Željko Čajkovski (5 May 1925 – 11 November 2016) was a Croatian Association football, football player and coach, who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He was born in Zagreb, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Biography ...
on 11 November 2016, he became the oldest Croatian Olympic medal winner. Bonačić died on January 24, 2020, at the age of 90 following a short illness.
References
External links
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1929 births
2020 deaths
Croatian male rowers
Olympic rowers for Yugoslavia
Rowers at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for Yugoslavia
Rowers from Split, Croatia
Olympic medalists in rowing
Croatian people of Slovenian descent
Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Burials at Lovrinac Cemetery
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