XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 16, 21st August, 2016

The men's marathon was scheduled on the last day of the Olympic Games. The athletes started it in heavy rain. 140 runnes could complete the race out of the 155, Anđelko Rističević finished 119th clocking 2:30:17. Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya won the race with 2:08:44.

Then came the basketball final. There isn't much to talk about the mutant aliens of Area 51 American team knocked out Serbia to 66:96.
If we see the positive side: nobody is better than Serbia in the world. (Americans don't count now, their position in basketball is the same as Germans' in football.) Well done, boys!!!

A message to Nemanja Bjelica from the podium (Bjelica had to cancel his participation at the Olympic Games in the last minute because of an injury): this medal is yours, too!

The water polo boys were there to support the team


Posted by Bogdan Bogdanovic on Sunday, August 21, 2016

Serbia earned 2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals at the 2016 Olympic Games:
Gold - Davor Štefanek (Greco-Roman wrestling, 66 kg), men's water polo team
Silver - Tijana Bogdanović (women's tae-kwon-do, 49 kg), men's basketball team, women's volleyball team, the Marko Tomičević/Milenko Zorić duo (men's kayak double 1000 m)
Bronze - Ivana Španović (women's triple jump), women's basketball team

Our Olympic broadcast has ended, thank you for your attention.

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 15, 20th August, 2016

THE WATER POLO TEAM IS THE OLYMPIC CHAMPION!!!

They won!!!

They are the best!!!

What a game it was.
They splashed into the water and sank the Croatian team. It was no question even for a moment who'll win.
The Croatians could keep the pace only in the very beginning. They equalized after 0:1, but then they couldn't. Not once.
Serbia was leading to 2:3 at the end of the first quarter. Goalkeeper Mitrović made amazing tricks and saves. He saved everything. Every possible and impossible shot. I’m sure he allowed those 7 scores into the box by fraternal sympathy. To keep those poor neighbours away from complete destruction. He saved 12 from 19 (!!!) shots.
In the half-time it was 3:6 for Serbia.
The other hero of the day was Dušan Mandić. Partizan’s former team captain was more wicked than all the devils of hell. He scored such goals that made the pool dry. Both from distance and from nearby. All you could see was the water started to boil as if you’d threw a piece of raw meat among piranhas. Then a mighty left hand raised, swung the ball, shot and scored a giant goal. Then Dušan Mandić appeared, too (belonging to the left hand mentioned above) to celebrate.

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

For the third half the standing was 5:9, even though Croats substituted their goalkeeper in the meantime. Josip Pavić arrived and the totally done Marko Bijač could have a rest.
Filip Filipović nevertheless had a nice welcome gift for Pavić (4:8).

It was already sure even at this point that the Croatian team needs a smaller miracle to be able even just to equalize.
For the last quarter the Croatians fell apart. The most typical moment was when the Croatian coach asked for timeout at 6:10, then when the teams returned to the pool Mandić scored just another goal. Serbs started to celebrate in the very last minute of the game already, and then when the end buzz came...

ŠAMPIONI!!!
Posted by Partizane naš si ponos on Saturday, August 20, 2016

Champions.
They totally deserve to celebrate and to be celebrated.

Živko Gocić, one of the toughest players of Team Serbia could not keep his tears back on the podium. Next to him there is Dušan Mandić celebrating

And big big congratulations to the Serbian female volleyball team for their silver medal...

...and to the Serbian female basketball team for the bronze!

Predrag Danilović was there to support the basketball team...

...as well as Saša Đorđević

(unmarked photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 14, 19th August, 2016

Vladimir Savanović finished 42nd out of 80 competitors in men’s 50 km race walk. Only 49 athletes could finish the race

salutations to the other Serbian, Predrag Filipović to also be able to cross the finish line

but racers freaked out completely by the 32 degrees Celsius and the 80 % humidity. It’s a miracle 49 people could finish it at all.

I caught an interview with Bence Venyercsány, the only Hungarian athlete, who could finish the race. He said (while trying to find his breath) that it was his toughest race ever, the heat was killer and the worst was seeing fellow athletes giving it up, one after the other, many of them collapsing while walking. 

Big respect to every single athlete, but especially to Vladimir Savanović, who completed the race. You are all champions!
Here is Vladimir Savanović’s post-race message to the fans.

Izjava Vladimira Savanovića nakon trke.
Posted by AK Partizan Beograd on Friday, August 19, 2016

In the evening came the men’s basketball semifinal. Australia vs. Serbia.
The Serbian team washed off Australia with a fantastic, amazing game, winning to 61:87 and marching into the final.
First quarter: 5:16
Second quarter (half-time): 14:35
They had such a game that they could make even this at the end of the first half. Teodosić throws the ball, and then... ALLEEEEY-OOOOOP!

Alley-up za Bogdana!
Posted by Partizane naš si ponos on Friday, August 19, 2016

And it continued like this, until the final buzz. Great game, basketball gala, at the end Australians just had a dry smile on their faces while assisting for Serbia. The final will be on Sunday, Serbia plays against the United States for the Olympic championship title.

Mačvan had numerous scores against Australia

Three is three, just like the truth

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 13, 18th August, 2016

Another silver medal for Serbia!!!
Congratulations and salutations to Marko Tomičević and Milenko Zorić for their silver medal in men's 1000 m kayak double!

Asmir Kolašinac could not qualify to the men’s shot put final. He finished 8th in Group B at the qualifications with 20.16 m.

Ono što je trebao biti san,pretvorilo se u košmar...jedan veoma loš dan,odnosno veoma loša sezona. Povreda je nažalost ostavila predubok trag...uključujući ovo takmičenje samo 8 sam ih imao ove godine a to je za mene malo da udjem u pravu formu i da rutinski bacam blizu 21m i preko. Ovu prvu dvojicu Amera ne zelim da komentarišem ali bronza sa 21.36m i da sam onaj od prošle godine...možda je moglo sve biti drugačije. Ali tako je bilo sudjeno,takmičenja i šansi će uvek biti Treba samo biti spreman i strpljiv. Hvala svima na porukama podrske koje ste mi slali i svima koji ste uz mene i kada gubim...slavicemo mi akoBogda jos puno puta!

A photo posted by Kolasinac Asmir (@asko_kolasinac) on Aug 19, 2016 at 5:04am PDT

The Serbian water polo team had a sweeping victory against Italy to 8:10, and they qualified to the final!!!
The truth is that it was a totally smooth game, the reason the difference is "just" 2 goals is that Serbs practically joked the end off. The first quarter finished with 0:3, the half time was 2:6 (it was 0:6 in the middle of the second quarter, Italians scored their first goal less than two minutes before the end). The third quarter brought just one single goal (2:7), in the fourth it grew to 5:10, Italians scored three goals in the last 4 minutes, while Serbs were just chilling on the waves with a big smile, knowing well, that whatever Italians try, they won’t be able even just to equalize.
The finall will be tomorrow against Croatia. It will be a real, true derby, the best kind.

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

Photo of the day - Joffrey Lauvergne and Bogdan Bogdanović in the Olympic Village

(Belated) Happy Birthday, Bogdan!

Before to leave Rio, I took some time to wish an happy birthday to Bogdan and wish him good luck for the rest of the competition ! ⚪️⚫️
Posted by Joffrey Lauvergne on Thursday, August 18, 2016

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 12, 17th August, 2016

Congratulations and salutations to Tijana Bogdanović for the silver medal and Ivana Španović for the bronze!
Bogdanović clashed with Kim So-hui from South Korea in the final of women’s 49 kg tae-kwon-do. Getting to the Olympic final at the age of 18 is a victory in itself. For the next Games it will surely be a gold medal :)

Tijana Bogdanović on the podium

Ivana Španović finished 3rd in women’s triple jump with 7.08. Two Americans got the two other medals, the gold went to multiple world and Olympic champion Tianna Bartoletta (7.17), while also multiple world and indoor world champion Brittney Reese won silver (7.15).

Ivana Španović and her bronze jump

And now the best part: the Serbian basketball team WON over Croatia in a bloody battle and qualified to the semifinal!
In the first quarter Serbia was leading with one point (19:20), for the half-time it changed to 38:32. Then came the Raduljica-Bogdanović-Mačvan trio

PARTIZAN!!!

and brought up Serbia to 52:66.
In the last quarter the Croats clenched their teeth and came up to 72:74. Bogdanović was fouled out around the end. Croats were just one step behind Serbs (79:80). The last minute was about fouls and free throws only. The game was fragmented. Finally Serbia won to 83:86 scoring their last points only from free throws. (Adriatic League feeling...) In the semifinal they will play against Australia.

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 11, 16th August, 2016

Serbia won its first medal at the Olympic Games!!! And it's a gold!!!
Big big congratulations and salutation to Davor Štefanek, who is the Olympic champion of Greco-Roman wrestling in 66 kg!!!
He won over Migran Arutyunyan from Armenia in the final. First the Armenian was leading to 0:1 after pushing Štefanek off the mat, but then he got a caution that brought one point for the Serbian. According to regulations in case of draw the winner will be the one who earned a point the latest and the Armenian didn't have enough time to gain any more points.

Davor Štefanek with his gold medal

During the national anthem

Yes, that’s the Serbian flag on the top... above all...

Posing for the photographers. Only Bokvadze from Georgia was willing to pose with Štefanek. The Armenian was so down by the end result that he was not willing even to shake hands. (The Azeri medalist doesn’t seem to be too happy either.)

But the gold medalist is Serbia and no one can take it away from them

As for Partizan’s athletes, the water polo team clashed with Spain in the quarterfinal and washed them off. It was an easy game, the Serbian team was leading to 7:3 in the half-time. In the third quarter Spain could reduce it to 7:5, but in the final part they capitulated, and Serbia won to 10:7.

Filipović celebrating

Mandić (on the right) supports his teammates

Unity is strength

Question of the day: how did that Yugoslav flag get there?

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 10, 15th August, 2016

There was only one event this day with a Partizan-athlete, men’s 110 m hurdles (athletics). Milan Ristić started in Heat 5. Ronnie Ash from the US won the heat clocking 13.31, Ristić finished 6th (13.66), he couldn’t qualify to the semifinal.

Athletes line up for the start, Ristić is checking the court

The starter pistol fires...

...athletes run, Ristić with Souza (BRA) on his right and Kaba (CAN) on his left...

...just a few more steps until the finish line...

Photo-finish

(photo: rio2016.com)

No matter which place you finished at, for us you're the Olympic champion

(unmarked photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

Photo of the day - selfie with Christ the Redeemer

Courtesy of Joffrey Lauvergne and the French national basketball team.

Découverte du #cristoredentor #Corcovado en équipe aujourd'hui !  #rio2016
Posted by Joffrey Lauvergne on Monday, August 15, 2016

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 9, 14th August, 2016

The basketball and water polo teams have played their last matches in the group stage. In the swimming pool the water polo team won over Japan at a seemingly easy game to 12:8. In reality it could be a nightmare. At the end of the first quarter Japan was leading to 2:5.
To 2:5. Against Serbia.
Against the world and European champion Serbia.
You get what I mean.
I bet Jakšić, Filipović, Mandić and all the others will remember this even at their old age.
As if FK Partizan would be leading against Real Madrid to 3:0 in the 30th minute.
I have no idea what could be going on, I’m looking at the statistics, but I see e.g. no missed out attempt by Serbia, or overwhelmingly lots of power play for Japan. There could be a very heavy water wrestling, the Japanese team entered the game as underdogs, they knew the Olympic Games have ended for them anyway, so they just wanted to have fun.
The Serbian team equalized in the second quarter struggling. Nothing happened for about 6 minutes, then Serbs scored 3 goals in the last two minutes. In the third quarter they could finally take the lead (9:7), the world’s order was back and at the end they had a convincing win to 12:8.
Huuuhhhhh. (relieved sigh)
So, the water polo team qualified to the next round, where they’ll clash with Spain tomorrow, on 16th August at 21:30 CET.
All the best, boys!!!

The basketball team clashed with China. They won, as it just had to happen, to 90:64 and qualified to the next round. (No info yet about the upcoming opponent.)

The entire water polo team rushed from the swimming pool to the basketball hall to support the boys

National anthem

I want such a flag. Where can I get/buy/find/steal/rob one?

Ole ole ole!

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)

XXXI. Summer Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro - Day 7, 12th August, 2016

Friday brought two games at the Olympic Games with Partizan-players. The first one was a basketball game, where the Serbian team got definitely the best team from which everyone (or almost everyone...) expects gold medal: the United States.
The fact these hamburger-fed yankees Americans could score only 3 (THREE) more points than Serbia, that's really something to be proud of. Team USA won 94:91, at a surely very heavily struggling game and I'm sure if any of their players might see again the clenching teeth and sweaty face of Bogdanović and Mačvan in their nightmares, they wake up crying, chewing on their pillows. Compared to the half time score (50:41) and to Americans still leading with 10 points in the third quarter (72:62), Serbia could make such a final that is written in the Big Book of Basketball.

Bogdan Bogdanović

...when Bogdan Bogdanović gets the grip...

Nenad Beđik and Miloš Vasić were there to support the basketball team

The basketball team is now 4th in their group - keep this place, boys, because then you will qualify to the next round!
At the evening game (early Saturday dawn CET) the Serbian and the Australian water polo teams clashed with Serbia gaining their first victory. The first quarter finished with 2:2, Serbia took the lead, then Australian equalized just 6 seconds before the end. The second quarter was tough. A lot. Australians were leading, sometimes with 2 goals (2:4) and even the half time result was for them (4:5). Then came the third quarter and a more or less square water wrestling (6:6).
Then the last quarter.
It started with 7:7.
Then it was 10:7, for Serbia. 3 minutes before the end they performed an amazing water polo show. Australians could pressure out only one single goal from themselves. The end result was 10:8 for Serbia.

Filip Filipović is teaching: see, children, this is the ball, that is. And that’s how you score a goal with it... (BOOOM!!!)

Players celebrate after the victory

The entire basketball team was there to support them

Serbia is now 4th in their group, they have only one game left, against Japan.

(photos: Facebook/Olimpijski komitet Srbije)