They say cream rises to the top and Serbia men certainly did that by winning its third consecutive Olympic gold medal, a feat also attained by Hungary men and United States of America women this century. But there were hiccups on the way. Here’s how the year unfolded.
Having two major events in the one year is uncommon, but Covid-19 forced a disruption to the international calendar, meaning we had World Championships and Olympic Games in the same season.
This prompted a shift in focus, especially for the European teams who also had the added burden of the European Championships in January, immediately followed by the worlds. The Europeans then had the drop on the rest of the world, coming fresh (or tired) from their continental event.
These were the matches that shaped the year.
World Aquatics Championships
Day 1.
Montenegro 16 United States of America 15 in a penalty shootout. Montenegro had the drop on the North Americans and led by two going into the last. USA levelled three times, but lost in sudden death. It was the start of a rough ride for USA, finishing ninth before remarkably turning its year around at the Olympic Games.
Day 2.
Hungary 15 Italy 14 in a penalty shootout. Hungary came from two down to land the last two goals and win with the sixth goal of sudden death. Italy responded with a 13-12 win over USA on day four to finish second in the group and reached the dais while Hungary finished seventh and USA ninth.
Day 5. Quarterfinals
Italy tipped out world No 2 Greece, leaving it to go on to fifth. Croatia bumped Serbia 15-13 with Dusan Mandic gaining a red card, boosting Croatia’s advantage to three with 1:39 remaining. France did the unthinkable by ousting Hungary 11-10 with a Thomas Vernoux hat-trick in the final three and a half minutes — truly the most spectacular segment of individual play all year.
Day 6. Semifinals
Italy pushed aside Spain 8-6 with a dominant display and France almost went three straight, losing a thriller in sudden death to Croatia after gaining the 11-11 equaliser 16 seconds from full time. Both teams were flawless in the first rotation before equalising hero Enzo Khasz missed his chance on France’s first strike in sudden death.
Day 7. Medal Finals
Spain, an early gold-medal favourite, claimed the bronze 14-10 over a spent France, who was five down at halftime. Continuing recent world finals, Croatia took Italy to the wire, scoring an equaliser through Rino Buric, 49 seconds from time for 11-11, forcing the shootout. Italy missed its third and fourth chances and Croatia its second, winning 15-13, gaining its third crown after Melbourne 2007 and Budapest 2017.
Olympic Games
Day 1.
Serbia 16 Japan 15. In a match where the score was tied eight times, Serbia’s defence of its crown was under threat from the get-go. It took a brilliant Mandic seven goals — and his winner at 1:35 — to shut out the persistent Japanese.
Day 2.
Australia 8 Serbia 3. Who would have thought that Serbia could emerge from the water with only three goals to its name and bow to the likes of Australia by a clear five goals? It was stunning and spectators and officials alike were perplexed by Serbia’s inability to match the Aussie Sharks. Australia was 6-0 ahead before Mandic nailed a penalty goal just before halftime and another early in the third for 7-2. First Japan had an itch and Australia scratched it incessantly for a breakthrough victory.
Greece 17 Montenegro 16 in a penalty shootout. In a match where Montenegro was not headed until the last 29 seconds, Vasilje Radovic came good with the equaliser two seconds from time from outside on extra-man attack to force the shootout. It dropped the first shot and Greece was impeccable to win 17-16.
Day 3.
Italy 11 Montenegro 9 in a penalty shootout. Montenegro lost its second consecutive shootout (and third loss) to Italy after being equal at all the numbers in real time. Montenegro’s Dusan Matkovic scored the final equaliser at 2:34. Italy missed twice and Montenegro could not score any of its last three attempts — itself an incredible event — to lose 11-9.
Day 4.
Australia 9 Hungary 8. The Sharks bit again, this time taking out Hungary by a single goal — the same score it produced over France two days earlier. Australia led for nearly three minutes in the second quarter but otherwise it was all Hungary. Krisztian Manchercz made it 8-6 on penalty at the top of the fourth before Australia drilled the last three — two to co-captain Nathan Power — for the 9-8 victory. Australia’s run was blemished with a 14-13 loss to Japan and it eventually finished eighth while Serbia took gold and Hungary bronze.
Day 5.
Hungary 17 Serbia 13. A 7-3 second quarter set Hungary up for the win and was six clear by the final break. It was another humiliation for Serbia, now two-three with the crown slipping.
Day 6. Quarterfinals
This was one of the closest series of all time with two going to shootouts, one by a goal and the first of the day by two. Spain never got close to Croatia, losing 10-8 while Nikola Jaksic produced a 10m shot with six seconds on the clock to break the 11-11 deadlock for 12-11 against Greece with the match levelled at all the numbers. USA held a three-goal lead over Australia in the third period, only for Luke Pavillard to score twice for 7-6 inside the final two minutes. Alex Bowen converted extra at 0:32 and the match went to a shootout. Australia missed two and USA only one for the 11-10 winning margin. The Aussie Sharks were back to their best but could not get across the line.
Day 7. Semifinals
USA started strongly for 2-1, but the match against Australia took its toll as Serbia controlled the last three quarters and kept USA scoreless for nearly the last 13 minutes for a 10-6 margin, to bring its Paris tally to four-three. Croatia went from 5-5 to controlling the clash with Hungary, turning 9-7 at the final break to 9-8 at the final buzzer. Elvis Fatovic inspired Croatia with five goals.
Day 8. Medal Finals
USA had unfinished business and had to come from two behind in the final quarter to level at eight, thanks to Hannes Daube on extra with the last. Hungary’s horrors continued in the shootout with three missed penalty attempts and USA only needed to take three successful shots to win 11-8 and collect a fourth bronze medal and ninth Olympic medal. Then it was up to Serbia to achieve the impossible and usurp Croatia 13-11 and send the country into delirium with Milos Cuk the hero with three goals. Mandic scored twice and collected his third successive gold medal.
Summary
Mandic was voted most valuable player, capping a fine career and boosting Serbia to what was an almost improbable victory.
After fourth in Doha, France could not repeat those heroics at its home Olympics while Australia, in beating France, Hungary and Serbia, announced its intentions for 2025.
USA back on the podium for the first time since silver in Beijing 2008 was justification for some close decisions in Doha failing to go its way.
Italy and Spain did not live up to the hype, despite Spain collecting the European crown in January.
With the World Aquatics World Cup back in 2025 and the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, the programme is back to normal following the upheaval caused by the pandemic.
The new rules for men will be keenly watched during the World Cup to see if this is the way forward for the sport.