In the above video famed Olympic gold medalist volleyball player from the 2000 Olympic Games, Vladimir Grbić, recalls the ‘play of the games’ that he made in the volleyball tournament to secure the win for Yugoslavia.
Facing Russia in the final. Grbić was forced to go the distance to retrieve a ball that had flown off the court, and into an area designated for photographers and media personnel. In an effort to make sure that the team didn’t lose the point, he jumped the barrier, gathering the ball and sending it back into play for his teammates.
In the process he almost fell on an Italian photographer, who he excused himself from prior to rushing back onto the court in order to block a hard shot and give Yugoslavia another point.
According to Grbić after the play,”we were practically thinking that we already won.”
Yugoslavia ended up winning the Olympic gold medal in Sydney, defeating the Russians in three straight sets to claim the win.
That medal marked Grbić’s second Olympic medal of his career after he managed to take home the bronze with his teammates at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Grbić continued competing internationally, receiving his last major international medal in 2004 at the World League event in Rome.
He officially retired in 2009 after playing with Fenerbahce Istanbul for two years in Turkey.
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