Serbia clinches third consecutive Olympic gold in men’s water polo

Serbia secured their third straight Olympic gold in men’s water polo on Sunday, defeating Croatia 13-11 in a thrilling final at La Defense Arena in Paris. Despite a rocky group stage where they suffered three defeats, the Serbian team came alive in the knockout rounds, overcoming Greece and the USA before delivering a dominant performance in the gold medal match.

Led by Uros Stevanovic, Serbia established an 8-5 lead at halftime and maintained control throughout the game against the 2012 Olympic champions. Defender Dusan Mandic, a veteran of all three gold medal-winning teams, highlighted the team’s resilience and unity.

“We had our ups and downs. But we are famous for this, we are very hard to beat in the elimination phase. Everybody, I think, underestimated us a little bit because of the results in the group. It happens,” said Mandic.

The match was marked by sportsmanship despite the historical tensions between Serbia and Croatia. The players exchanged handshakes and hugs after the final whistle, with the Serbian team celebrating by pushing their coaching staff into the pool.

(Source: AFP)