Olympic Men’s Water Polo: Dominant First Quarter Sets Tone for Serbia Gold Medal

Serbia celebrates after beating Croatia in the men's water polo final at the Paris Olympics; Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Olympic Men’s Water Polo: Dominant First Quarter Sets Tone for Serbia Gold Medal

Milos Cuk and Nikola Jaksic scored twice each in the first quarter as Serbia built a three-goal lead and controlled the Olympic final throughout on the way to a 13-11 win over Croatia for its third straight gold medal.

Serbia is atop the Olympic podium for the third straight time. It’s the second time that it’s come at the expense of Croatia, beating them in the 2016 Rio final when Croatia was the reigning gold medalist. Serbia has, in its various incarnations, medaled at seven straight games, including silver for Serbia and Montenegro in 2004 and bronze for Yugoslavia in 2000.

“It’s incredible,” Dusan Mandic said. “This is the power of unity. This is the team spirit. This is defense, defense, defense until the end, sacrificing for each other. It’s incredible how this game went, how we played. This is my third final. I cannot believe that I actually won this one also.”

Croatia is back in the medals after finishing fifth in Tokyo three years ago. The 2024 World Champions won silver in Rio and gold in London.

Serbia’s Strahinja Rasovic and Vladimir Misovic celebrate after winning the gold medal over Croatia in the men’s water polo final Sunday in Paris; Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Serbia got the jump Sunday at the Paris La Defense Arena. Though Croatia led 1-0 with Loren Fatovic’s opener, Nemanja Ubovic soon pegged it back on the power play. Cuk scored twice in a row, then Jaksic added two to make it 5-2 after eight minutes.

The lead would grow to four on three occasions, including on Mandic’s only goal of the game with 1:16 left in the third quarter to make it 11-7. Croatia twice got within two in the fourth, but four huge shot blocks by the Serbia defense prevented them from getting closer. Konstantin Kharkov scored with 1:06 left to make it 12-10, but Cuk answered immediately to restore a three-goal lead with 37 seconds left and formally seal gold.

Cuk led the way with three goals for Serbia, plus an assist. Nikola Dedovic scored two goals to go with two assists. Jaksic did all his scoring in the first quarter.

“I do not know how to tell you,” Jaksic said. “First of all, exhausted, but most of all, really satisfied. I would like to congratulate Croatia’s team for the game, but most of all, congratulations to our team. I am proud of my teammates and everything that we did. I honestly think that we deserve it after these two years. Only we know what we have been through.”

Serbia weathered Mandic being held to 1-for-3 shooting. Strahinja Radovic, Nemanja Vico, Viktor Rasovic and Ubovic had a goal and an assist each. Radoslav Filipovic made 11 saves in goal.

Fatovic was outstanding despite the loss, with two goals and seven assists for Croatia. Kharkov scored twice. Jerko Marinic Kragic scored three times despite just 3-for-9 shooting.

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