He did not immediately feel a passion for the sport that would bring him worldwide fame, as he played football, practiced athletics, and enjoyed weightlifting as a boy. However, since Belišće, where he was born, had a long tradition in kayaking and canoeing, Matija Ljubek tried a boat and paddle and realized that this was his true calling.
By the mid-1970s, the strong Belišće native had begun to draw attention. At the 1975 World Championships in Belgrade, Ljubek placed third in the 10,000-meter canoe marathon, clearly marking the beginning of a great and unique career.
The following summer, at the Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, Matija won first place in the 1,000 meters and third in the 500 meters. Upon returning to his hometown of Belišće, he received an unforgettable welcome, greeted by literally all the townspeople. Ljubek also won gold (500m) and silver (1,000m) medals in the double canoe with his friend Mirko Nišović from Zemun at the Los Angeles Olympics.
During his exceptionally rich career, he won more than 300 medals—two gold, one silver, and one bronze at the Olympic Games; four gold, two silver, and four bronze at the World Championships; and three gold medals at the Mediterranean Games. He achieved all these successes between 1975 and 1987 as a representative of SFR Yugoslavia. He was also voted Yugoslavia’s Sportsman of the Year in 1976 in a poll by the sports newspaper Sport.
After retiring from competition, he remained involved in sports as a sports official. Unfortunately, his untimely death—caused by a gunshot under unclear family circumstances—separated him forever from the sport. Today, the kayak and canoe club in Zagreb bears his name.
