Matija Ljubek

Matija Ljubek

Ljubek's grave at Mirogoj Cemetery.
Personal information
Born (1953-11-22)22 November 1953
Belišće, Yugoslavia
Died 11 October 2000(2000-10-11) (aged 46)
Valpovo, Croatia
Resting place Mirogoj Cemetery, Zagreb
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
Country Yugoslavia
Sport Canoeing

Matija Ljubek (22 November 1953 – 11 October 2000) was a Croatian canoer who competed in the 1970s and 1980s and later became a sports official.

Born in Belišće, Osijek-Baranja, Ljubek competed in four Summer Olympics where he won four medals. This included two golds (C-1 1000 m: 1976, C-2 500 m: 1984 with Mirko Nišović), one silver (C-2 1000 m: 1984 with Mirko Nišović), and one bronze (C-1 500 m: 1976). His trainer was Laszlo Hingl. He also won ten medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with four golds (C-1 1000 m: 1978, C-2 500 m: 1982, 1983; C-2 10000 m: 1985), three silvers (C-1 10000 m: 1981, C-2 1000 m: 1982, 1985), and three bronzes (C-1 10000 m: 1975, 1978; C-2 1000 m: 1983).

In 1976 he was received a Golden Badge award for best athlete of Yugoslavia.

Ljubek later became vice-president of the Croatian Olympic Committee and served as chef de mission for the Croatian Olympic team.

Ljubek died in 2000 when he was shot by an estranged brother-in-law while trying to defend his mother in Valpovo, Osijek-Baranja six days after returning from the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Olympic results

Olympic results
Event 1976 Montreal 1980 Moscow 1984 Los Angeles 1988 Seoul
C-1 500 metres 3rd (1:59.60) 9th (2:03.43) &
&
C-1 1,000 metres 1st (4:09.51) 8th (4:22.40) &
&
C-2 500 metres &
&
1st (1:43.67) &
C-2 1,000 metres &
4th (3:51.30) 2nd (3:41.56) 12th (3:59.04)

References

Awards
Preceded by
Nenad Stekić
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Best Athlete of Yugoslavia
1976
Succeeded by
Šaban Sejdi
Preceded by
Nenad Stekić
Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year
1976
Succeeded by
Šaban Sejdi
Olympic Games
Preceded by
Hrvoje Horvat
Dražen Dalipagić
Flagbearer for  Yugoslavia
Moscow 1980
Seoul 1988
Succeeded by
Dražen Dalipagić
Igor Milanović
(for  Yugoslavia)
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