Mirko Sandić
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Mirko Sandić ( sr-Cyrl, Мирко Сандић; 9 May 1942 – 24 December 2006) was a
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
n
water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
player who led Yugoslav teams to a gold medal at the
1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...
and a silver medal at the
1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...
. He also competed in the 1960 and 1972 Olympics where his teams placed fourth and fifth, respectively. He was given the honour to carry the national flag of Yugoslavia at the
opening ceremony An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly constructed location or the start of an event.
of the
1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...
in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, becoming the twelfth water polo player to be a
flag bearer A standard-bearer, also known as a colour-bearer or flag-bearer, is a person who bears an emblem known as a standard or military colours, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honoured) as a ...
at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Between 1958 and 1974 Sandić played more than 235 matches for the Yugoslav national team contributing 250 goals. According to his friend and FINA President Ante Lambasa, Sandic learned to swim and started playing water polo at an early age in Makarska, the birth town of his mother where he spent his summers. However, it was not until age 16 that he began playing water polo for club Partizan, a member of the second division of the Yugoslav Water Polo League. As a member of this club Sandić played more than 1000 games and won 11 Yugoslav National Championships, 7 Yugoslav Cups and 5 European Cups, in 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971 and 1975. Sandić had a degree in
foreign affairs ''Foreign Affairs'' is an American magazine of international relations and foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit organization, nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership or ...
. After retiring from competitions he coached national water polo teams in
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
(1975–1980),
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
(1976) and
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
(1983–1987), while serving as a commercial manager for
Jat Airways Jat Airways (stylized as JatAirways; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jat ervejz, Јат ервејз) was the national flag carrier and largest airline of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslavia and later Serbia and Montenegro and ...
in those countries. He also worked with the state teams of
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
(1977) and
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
(1978) in Australia and with the Yugoslav clubs GOC (1980–1982) and Partizan (1980–1983). In 1971 he was voted as the Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year, in 1972 received the Presidential Medal of Honor from
Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito ( ; , ), was a Yugoslavia, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and politician who served in various positions of national leadership from 1943 unti ...
, and in 1997 an award from the
International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...
for contribution to the Olympic movement. In 1987 he became a member of the Yugoslav National Olympic Committee, and from 1996 to 2003 served as the first president of the Serbian Water Polo Federation. In 1999, he was inducted into the
International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the stu ...
.


See also

* Yugoslavia men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics *
List of Olympic champions in men's water polo This is a list of Water polo at the Summer Olympics, Olympic champions in men's water polo since the inaugural official edition in Water polo at the 1900 Summer Olympics, 1900. Abbreviations History Water polo at the Summer Olympics, Men's wat ...
*
List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men) Men's water polo has been part of the Summer Olympics program since 1900. Hungary men's national water polo team has won sixteen Olympic medals, becoming the most successful country in men's tournament. There are fifty-nine male athletes who hav ...
* List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments * List of men's Olympic water polo tournament top goalscorers * List of flag bearers for Yugoslavia at the Olympics *
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame is a history museum and hall of fame, serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around the world. List of the members of the International Swimming Hall ...


References


External links

* 1942 births 2006 deaths Serbian male water polo players Serbian water polo coaches Yugoslav male water polo players Olympic water polo players for Yugoslavia Water polo players at the 1960 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1968 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for Yugoslavia Olympic silver medalists for Yugoslavia Olympic medalists in water polo Water polo players from Belgrade Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Mediterranean Games gold medalists for Yugoslavia Mediterranean Games silver medalists for Yugoslavia Competitors at the 1963 Mediterranean Games Competitors at the 1967 Mediterranean Games Competitors at the 1971 Mediterranean Games Mediterranean Games medalists in water polo Summer World University Games medalists in water polo FISU World University Games gold medalists for Yugoslavia Yugoslav water polo coaches Expatriate water polo coaches Serbian sports executives and administrators Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Singapore Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Egypt Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Australia {{Yugoslavia-waterpolo-bio-stub