The Montenegrin water polo team arrived in Los Angeles yesterday to continue their preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris, which begin at the end of July. Notably, Draško Brguljan will not be donning the “shark” cap this time around.

This legendary player, who was set to compete in his fifth Olympic Games and become a record holder among Montenegrin athletes, seems to be bidding farewell to the national team following a grueling season with Primorac.

While some may have anticipated this decision, others were taken aback. At nearly 40 years old, Brguljan is convinced he made the right choice.

“I simply can’t envision spending the summer training in preparation for the Olympics. I’ve had a tremendously demanding club season. While I might have been able to play in Paris, I believe it’s best at my age not to take a spot from someone else if I’m not certain I can fully commit to the preparations,” Brguljan expressed in an interview with “Vijesti”.

Brguljan helped Primorac clinch the national championship title—one he had been longing for since 2008. He was also part of the team that achieved promotion back to the regional Premier League and participated in two significant tournaments this season: the European Championship in Croatia and the World Championship in Doha.

“I gave my all for Primorac, and on top of that, I competed in the European Championship and World Cup. The season wrapped up only about twenty days ago… I had the option to join the national team after a few days of rest. However, after extensive discussions with Vladimir Gojković, who was very respectful, we concluded it would be best for me not to be part of the team,” Brguljan noted.

There is a sense of regret…

“Of course I regret the decision, but I arrived at it after careful consideration. It’s true that I would have been participating in the Games for the fifth time, yet there are younger players who will be making their Olympic debut, and for whom competing in Paris is a significant milestone in their careers,” Brguljan concluded.

Gojković is leading a squad of 18 players to the United States: Dejan Lazović, Kanstantin Averka, Aljoša Mačić, Vlad Popadić, Stefan Vidović, Đur Radović, Vladan Spaić, Dušan Matković, Vasilij Radović, Petr Tešanović, Marko Mršić, Jovan Vujović, Darko Đurović, Bogdan Đurđić, Martin Gardašević, Danil Radović, Andrija Korać, and Dimitrija Obradović.

According to the Water Polo Association, Miroslav Perković and Dušan Banićević have yet to commence their preparations due to club commitments. Additionally, the extended list of candidates for the Olympic Games includes Luka Murišić, Uroš Vučurović, Đorđije Stanojević, Ilija Radović, and Lazar Andrić.

Montenegro will face the United States in two matches in Los Angeles, as they are in the same group for the OI. The tournament in Paris kicks off on July 28 and features Croatia, Italy, Greece, and Romania in their group.

News