Drasko Brguljan represents the essence of Montenegrin water polo, sports, and Olympism. He, alongside Aleksandar Ivović , is among the very few athletes who have participated in every Olympic Games since Montenegro joined the Olympic movement. At 39, Draško remains an active member of the national water polo team and is set to compete in Paris for the fifth time this summer at the prestigious sports event.

In a special feature for the Olympic magazine of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, he reflected on his experiences from Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo—a journey spanning 13 years of Olympic dreams.

Beijing 2008

Qualifying for the Olympic Games was already a remarkable achievement, even though we were the reigning champions of Europe at that time. As the youngest team member, breaking into the squad heading to Beijing was a challenge.

When I finally made the team, the feeling of arriving in Beijing and stepping into the Olympic village was unparalleled. At that moment, I thought: “Everything has paid off; this is a reward for all your hard work.” You’ve made it…

While I have won medals at various major competitions, the Olympics hold a unique place in my heart. Even in my first experience, in Beijing…

My memories of the Games are dominated by the breathtaking opening ceremony at the iconic “Bird’s Nest” stadium. The visual spectacle was unmatched, and it still seems that no subsequent organizers in London, Rio de Janeiro, or Tokyo managed to top it.

It took me several days to acclimate to the magnitude of the event, to grasp that I was among the best athletes in the world. My fascination was evident when I spotted Dirk Novicki, the renowned basketball player, from the bus en route to the opening ceremony. I was utterly mesmerized, and he noticed, waving at me with a smile. I returned his greeting.

My pride in being part of the Olympic narrative escalated, knowing I was not just a participant but part of a team working towards a high ranking and a medal.

In terms of results, we faced a heartbreaking semi-final—our first of three tied matches. The excitement was palpable as European champions with immense expectations on our shoulders…

We led Hungary by three goals in the semi-final, but they rallied back, scoring the winning goal from an action we had anticipated and prepared for, yet ultimately could not thwart. Their exceptional quality proved decisive. Had we reached the finals, I’m confident we would have claimed gold, as even the formidable U.S. team couldn’t have stopped us. Instead, we fell short in the semi-final, and later in the third-place match against Serbia…

London 2012

In London, I believe we assembled the strongest team in our history. We faced tough competition, with key players Filip Klikovac, Milan Tičić, and Nikola Vukcevic being dropped from the roster just before the Games, highlighting our depth of talent.

We began with a loss to the USA, but soon found our footing, defeating Hungary and Spain before falling to Croatia in the semi-finals—their dominance throughout the tournament was well-deserved.

The third-place match will remain etched in my memory. We played exceptionally for three and a half quarters against Serbia, controlling the game and could have secured victory earlier.

However, we inexplicably faltered in the final minutes, allowing Serbia to display their true caliber. Once again, we were close yet fell short. Such moments are part of sports; they can be unpredictable. We’d experienced comebacks from significant deficits and had also lost leads before. It was disheartening, and we understood what we had missed…

If Beijing dazzled with its glamour and infrastructure, London was second to none in terms of organization.

The accommodations in the village were excellent, with comfortable rooms, well-made beds—something that wasn’t consistently the case in Rio and Tokyo. Each room had a TV, with high-quality varied food. The village was situated within the Olympic Park, placing numerous arenas close by, facilitating seamless operations. I believe London set organizational standards that will be hard to surpass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVCtQmDfdyw

The British understood they could not compete with Beijing’s glamour but tailored their opening ceremony to reflect their historical charm. The closing event was a dazzling show—a true pop-rock concert featuring stars like George Michael, Elton John, along with heartfelt tributes to the groups “Queen” and “Spice Girls”. It was spontaneous fun, providing a momentary escape from the disappointment of our bronze medal defeat.

Rio de Janeiro 2016

By my third Olympic experience, I felt like a veteran; however, it seemed as though the Games were overwhelming for Brazil, with significant shortcomings throughout.

The accommodations in the village were subpar; while no one expects luxury, basic standards were lacking. There were troubling incidents, such as personal belongings disappearing from rooms, including cash—rumors indicated many such cases.

Transportation to training venues and matches was chaotic, and the quality of food didn’t come close to what we enjoyed in Beijing or London.

The open pool where we competed in the group stage had green water, likely due to algae—a curious and strange situation. Yet, amidst these issues, there was a sense of Brazilian flair and relaxed attitude. Ultimately, it was significant that the Games were held in South America for the first time.

Once again, we reached the semi-finals for the third consecutive time, but I felt we had no regrets; we simply couldn’t compete with Serbia, Croatia, and Italy, who performed better.

We played an outstanding quarter-final match, defeating Hungary, who many believed could threaten Serbia. Our victory shocked the Hungarians—they were in tears post-match, completely taken aback.

We exhausted ourselves through that tournament, with several players competing in every match. The Olympics demand 13 elite players.

Croatia outperformed us in the semi-finals, and though we managed to stage a comeback against Italy for the bronze, Aicardi scored, and they pulled ahead.

Tokyo 2020.

Describing those Games is challenging; I would rather not reminisce about my experience, except for the honor of carrying our flag alongside Jovanko Radicevic at the opening ceremony—albeit in an empty stadium.

I believe the Games should not have proceeded under those conditions—with COVID-19 restrictions, isolation measures, masks, daily testing, and restricted access to leave the village. Positive cases were placed in complete isolation, in containers. Thankfully, no one from our team tested positive, which was the only upside.

And then there were the vacated stands. Our matches took place in a pool with a capacity for around ten people, yet it felt desolate—truly disheartening.

For the first time, we did not make it to the semi-finals. We were not in peak form—exhausted and outmatched. We reached the quarter-finals, and that was it… The sole silver lining is that lessons were learned from that experience. Ultimately, Tokyo was an event I hope doesn’t happen again, and there’s not much to recount.

Paris – yes or no

It’s clear I’m missing an Olympic medal, but I have no regrets. I take pride in all my teammates; it has been a privilege to share Olympic experiences with them.

In every match, we poured our hearts into it. Sometimes it yielded victory, while other times it didn’t. We have our share of regrets for missed opportunities, yet each time we gave our all. Personally, I wish we had become world champions in Barcelona in 2013, as we defeated teams superior to us—Italy and Serbia—in earlier rounds, only to lose to Hungary in the final, a match I believe we could have won more than lamenting an Olympic medal.

Regarding Paris—it’s on my mind. If you were to ask me right now, I wouldn’t have a definitive answer; I feel too fatigued. I’ve played extensively for Primorac this season, engaging in all competitions alongside training and traveling… It has worn me out.

I’ll assess my situation until early June when preparations begin—a long process. I don’t want to arrive exhausted, taking the place of someone who could perform better. Only 13 players, not 15, can attend the Olympic Games—there are no substitutions and rest; every match demands full intensity.

While I could become the only Montenegrin athlete to compete in five Olympic Games, it’s not about going to Paris to boast or take pictures; for me, it means competing at the highest level and giving my best, just as I have throughout my journey.

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