Petar Porobic, the head coach of China’s men's water polo team who recently led the team to a silver medal at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, passed away at the age of 67 from a sudden illness during his journey back home to Montenegro on October 8, the Shanghai Water Polo Association said in a statement on Monday night. Photo: The Shanghai Water Polo Association

Petar Porobic, the head coach of China's men's water polo team who recently led the team to a silver medal at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, passed away at the age of 67 from a sudden illness during his journey back home to Montenegro on October 8, the Shanghai Water Polo Association said in a statement on Monday night.

On October 8, Porobic planned to return to Montenegro on vacation via Istanbul, Turkey. However, before the plane arrived in Istanbul, a Chinese passenger noticed that there was something wrong with Porobic's physical condition as he had kept coughing, the passenger quickly altered flight attendants.

Flight attendants later found Porobic unconscious and tried to wake him up, but he had no vital signs and the plane had not yet landed in Istanbul. Porobic has just led the Chinese team to the second place in the men's water polo final of the Hangzhou Asian Games that just ended on October 7.

In 2022, Porobic took charge of the Chinese men's water polo team, and led the team to the men's water polo final at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which ended on Saturday, making it the first time the Chinese team has reached the final in 13 years.

Petar Porobic is from Montenegro and he had coached in many European countries and led teams to achieve excellence. Porobic taught both the China's men's and women's water polo teams successively and helped teams make great progress in international competitions.

"He is a true leader and coach whose leadership, passion, and love for water polo has made him pivotal to the development of water polo in China," the Shanghai Water Polo Association said in a statement honoring Porobic.

Many members of the Chinese water polo team were deeply saddened after learning of the death of their coach and said they still can't believe the tragedy really happened.

"We fought for the top together in the Winter Olympics two years ago and and you invited me to your country to feel the beauty there," said Mei Xiaohan, captain of Chinese women's water polo team. "I really want to thank you for everything you have done for Chinese water polo," she added.

"Petar has done so much for us, and we do owe him a gold medal," said Chen Zhongxian, member of the Chinese men's water polo team.

Global Times