Barac retires from international water polo

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Winning an Olympic gold medal is the perfect way to bow out of international water polo, the Croatia captain Samir Barac said.

The 38-year-old led his team to a 100% record in the London Games, with eight wins from eight.
But now he has his gold medal around his neck, it is time to hang up his Croatia trunks and cap.
Asked what it was like to be an Olympic champion, he said: "What an amazing feeling. I can't explain it. "It's the top of the top of my career.
"This is my fourth Olympic Games. I lost three Games - Sydney, Athens and Beijing.
"And this is very, very important for me because I am 38 and I am finishing my international career."
Croatia were dominant in defence for the whole tournament, and Barac said Josip Pavic, the goalkeeper, was crucial.
He told Press Association Sport: "Pavic, I think, is the best goalkeeper in this tournament.
"We had a very good defence, and I think with him it's very, very easy."
Niksa Dobud, who was voted the 'All star' centre-forward, agreed with his captain that the defence was key: "We dominated because of our great defence. I thought that every day."
Asked about the final against Italy, he said it was not an easy game.
"The Italians are a great team," he said. "They won against Hungary and Serbia."
Miho Boskovic, who scored twice in the victory over Italy, said: "We played amazing the whole tournament. "So I think we deserve 100% this medal. We played the best water polo and did an outstanding performance last match."
He said the team's physical and mental preparation was key.
"We have amazing quality, of course," he said. "We've had the best preparation. "Physically we are very, very strong and of course mentally we were very stable no matter what was the result.
"Today it was 2-0 [to Italy], but we came back to win the game, so that's the most important thing that we had."
Asked how the team will celebrate, he said: "It is very, very lovely, and for sure we will not sleep the next two or three days."

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Zlokovic stars in Spain

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Boris Zlokovic was the four-goal hero as Montenegro marched on to the last four of the men's water polo competition with a 11-9 win over Spain.

The Spaniards fought back in the final quarter, but strong second and third periods proved decisive for the Balkan team, who hung on for victory.
Montenegro will now hope to improve on Beijing - their first Games as an independent country - where they lost a semi-final to eventual winners Hungary, only to lose again to arch rivals Serbia and come in fourth place, missing out on a medal.
Italy knocked out the reigning Olympic men's water polo champions Hungary 11-9 in a dramatic quarter-final clash.
The Italians, themselves the world champions, overpowered the nine-time winners who have looked past their best at London 2012.
Hungary had been chasing their fourth consecutive gold medal, but three defeats from six games in the tournament have put an end to recent dominance.
Serbia scored six unanswered goals in the second half of their men's water polo quarter-final against Australia to propel them to the semis.
The team from Down Under shocked the reigning European champions and pre-tournament favourites by dominating the first two quarters.
But the Balkan side came back from an 8-5 losing position in the third period to win 11-8 and dump the Australians out.
Croatia cruised into the men's water polo semi-finals with a classy 8-2 win over the United States.
Five unanswered goals from the Balkan side in the first half put the contest beyond doubt long before the final whistle.
Croatia - the only team with a 100% record in the tournament with six wins from six - will face neighbours Montenegro to battle for a place in the final.
With Serbia in the other semi, against Italy, former-Yugoslavian countries are undoubtedly the dominant force in London 2012 water polo.

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