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Luka LONCAR
Sport Water Polo
NOC Croatia   
GenderMen
Born26 Jun 1987 in Zagreb, YUG
Height1.95 m
Weight 106 kg
 Human Interest 
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
Pro Recco: Italy
Name of coach
Sandro Sukno [club], CRO
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete
Sport Specific Information
Preferred position / style / stance / technique
Centre forward
Handedness
Right
Further Personal Information
Languages
Croatian, English
Family
Wife Maja, daughters Ema and Paola
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and taking silver at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (dnevnik.hr, 30 Jul 2017; slobodnadalmacija.hr, 19 Apr 2017; St Vincents Waterpolo Club YouTube channel, 18 May 2020)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began playing water polo at age 10 with the HAVK Mladost club in Zagreb, Croatia.
General Interest
Awards and honours
He was named 2018 Croatian Water Polo Player of the Year by Croatian publication 'Vecernji'. He shared the award with fellow Croatian water polo player Andro Buslje. (vecernji.hr, 23 Dec 2018)

He was chosen in the All-Star team at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (fina.org, 29 Jun 2017)

He was named the Best Player in the Regional League in 2016/17. (slobodnadalmacija.hr, 28 Mar 2017)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
"I started playing football and basketball, but I was not too motivated. Afterwards, I switched between handball and water polo and eventually I chose water polo and played with [HAVK] Mladost."
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Coaching - University of Zagreb: Croatia
General Interest
Nicknames
Lonac [Pot in Croatian] (dulist.hr, 20 Nov 2019)
Hobbies
Reading books, playing video games. (St Vincents Waterpolo Club YouTube channel, 18 May 2020)
Other information
INTERNATIONAL RETIREMENT
In October 2021 he announced his retirement from international competition. (total-croatia-news.com, 19 Oct 2021)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
5 2021 Tokyo, JPN Team  
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA Team  
World Championship
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2024 Doha, QAT Team  
3 2019 Gwangju, KOR Team  
1 2017 Budapest, HUN Team  
2 2015 Kazan, RUS Team  
3 2013 Barcelona, ESP Team  
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
5 2018 Berlin, GER Team  
European Championship
Rank Year Venue Event Result
2 2024   Team  
4 2020 Budapest, HUN Team  
3 2018 Barcelona, ESP Team  
7 2016 Belgrade, SRB Team  
5 2014 Budapest, HUN Team