Matija Ljubek

Matija Ljubek
Ljubek's grave at Mirogoj Cemetery.
Personal information
Born(1953-11-22)22 November 1953
Died11 October 2000(2000-10-11) (aged 46)
Resting placeMirogoj Cemetery, Zagreb
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
CountryYugoslavia
SportCanoeing
Medal record
Men's canoe sprint
Representing  Yugoslavia
Olympic Games
1976 Montréal C-1 1000 m
1984 Los Angeles C-2 500 m
1984 Los Angeles C-2 1000 m
1976 Montréal C-1 500 m
World Championships
1978 Belgrade C-1 1000 m
1982 Belgrade C-2 500 m
1983 Tampere C-2 500 m
1985 Mechelen C-2 10000 m
1981 Nottingham C-1 10000 m
1982 Belgrade C-2 1000 m
1985 Mechelen C-2 1000 m
1975 Belgrade C-1 10000 m
1978 Belgrade C-1 10000 m
1983 Tampere C-2 1000 m
Mediterranean Games
1979 Split C-1 500 m
1979 Split C-1 1000 m
1979 Split C-2 500 m

Matija Ljubek (Croatian pronunciation: [ʎǔbek]; 22 November 1953 – 11 October 2000) was a Croatian sprint canoeist who competed in the 1970s and 1980s and later became a sports official.[1]

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 awarded 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 m 3rd (1:59.60) 9th (2:03.43)
C-1 1000 m 1st (4:09.51) 8th (4:22.40)
C-2 500 m 1st (1:43.67)
C-2 1000 m 4th (3:51.30) 2nd (3:41.56) 12th (3:59.04)

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Ljubek, Matija". Hrvatska enciklopedija.