Club History
Back in 1945, while the war was still being fought on the Srem Front, the Red Star Sports Association was founded. In the newly established sport’s collective, the swimming team enthusiastically launched an initiative to establish a swimming club. The main initiators of the establishment of the new section were Dušan Đukić and Đorđe Paljić, the first president of the Crvena Zvezda football club
The difficulties at the beginning were numerous and in addition to all the challenges. There was no adequate base for swimmers and water polo players who had previously trained and competed on improvised pools near the Sava House. In these conditions, the club managed to survive for three years, after which its activity completely stalled. The idea and desire remained, and eleven years later, in 1959, it was followed by re-constitution. Since that year 1959, the club has had its tradition and participates in competitions, wins medals and every year takes in new members eager for knowledge, skills, and a healthy lifestyle.
Сл.1.0 Северин Бијелић
Our most outstanding swimmers were Severin Bijelić, a top swimmer and pioneer of water polo in Belgrade, as well as Misha Stanoyev, a national representative who swam 400m freestyle under six minutes. The first generation of exceptional swimmers was succeeded by Miša Mladenović, Zoran Drakulić, Čedomir Zlatnić, Đorđe Kostić, and Stevan Nikić. The new era, marked by numerous successes, announced the title of Yugoslavia’s champion, which Zvezda brought through Slobodan Zorić in 1960. Later, in the early seventies, the most promising swimmers in the country emerged from the ranks of Zvezda, and our team became the first in the country. In the club, excellent coaches such as Atina Bojazi and Slavko Njegovan worked with the young, and at one time the Olympic champion Djurdja Bedov also worked in the club. Between 1973 and 1978, Zvezda dominated Yugoslavian swimming and won two team championships and one state cup in a six-year period. During this period, swimmers Predrag and Nenad Miloš, who rank among the best in Yugoslavia, particularly distinguished themselves. At that time, excellent results and records were achieved by Jarko Mitrovic, Dubravka Bijelic, Sonja Karacic, Zoltan Apr, and many others, and in the next generation of Star’s trophies, Ana Kosuta particularly stood out.
Сл.1.2 Жарко Митровић
In 1989, Mladen Kapor, Tibor Rezman and Djerdj Cabafi moved from Partizan to the club, and that same year, the club’s swimmers won the most medals in the national championship – seven gold, four silver and two bronze. Mladen Kapo entered the history of swimming as the first Yugoslav to swim 100m freestyle in less than 50 seconds (49.66). Tibor Rezman, Djerdj Cabafi and Miloš Jakšić also achieved excellent results, and that year Dragan Matović and Kora Bogdanović announced successful careers at the competitions. After just half a year, Kapo, Rezman and Cabafi became representatives and the best swimmers in Yugoslavia.
Сл.1.2 Младен Капор, Александар Манић, Тибор Резман, Ђерђ
Цабафи, Драгана Матовић, Биљана Лазаревић, Александра Илић
Сл.1.1 Жарко Митровић
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Zvezda swimming club did not have such a successful team. Despite this, enthusiast sportsmen did not give up. New generations were coming up, and young stars Srđan Filipović, Predrag Stojadinović, Goran Radoshević and Dragan Matović brought the club back to the top with their victories at individual championships.The team championship title was won in 1992 for the third time. The coaching staff was then complete and this brought success. It consisted of Alexander Skanata and Tatjana Knežević, professional coaches Maya Ivanishević and Anton Mirković, and the legendary teachers of the greatest achievements of Yugoslavian swimming such as Đurđica Bijedov, Nenad and Predrag Milosh and Jarko Mitrovic. They trained young people, including Maje Grozdanic, Dragan Manojlovic, Vesna Damjanovic, Tamara and Irene Luchić, Bijana Stajić, Miodrag Vasic, Branislav Božic, Marko Mijuskovic, Goran Radoshevic, Predrag Stoijadinovic, Đorđa Filipovic, Alexander Chomic and Srđan Filipovic.
Сл.1.3 Предраг Стојадиновић
Сл.1.4 Горан Радошевић
Сл.1.5 Срђан Филиповић
Сл.1.6 Драгана Матовић
The club was approaching its 50th anniversary, the 1995/1996 season saw the swimmers win the most titles at individual national championships. Some of them, Jorga Filipovic, Maja Grozdanic and Aleksandar Čomić, also secured a place in the European Junior Championship representation. Maja Grozdanic represented the country at the Olympics that year. A large number of our swimmers won medals at the Balkans Games and participated in the Mediterranean Games and other international swimming competitions. Maja Grozdanić represented us at the 1997 World Cup.
Due to the difficult situation in the country in the nineties, our swimmers left for abroad. Dragan Matović, a Red Star and Yugoslavia national team swimmer, went to the US where he trained for three years under the supervision of Phil Hansel, a coach who was a member of the American Olympic team for four years. Predrag Stojadinović swam for the University of Salem, and local news praised him, saying that he was “built like a bear” and that he “outgrew” his opponents.
Сл.1.7 Ђорђе Филиповић
Сл.1.8 Маја Грозданић
Сл.1.9 Сестре Матовић
At the end of the nineties, the situation on the domestic swimming scene was not enviable, but our swimmers achieved great and notable successes abroad. Two Zvezda members, Igor Rasula and his coach Srđan Filipović, went to the European Pioneer Swimming Championships in the city of Trento, Italy, which was held between March 26 and 28, 1999. After the first night of the bombing of the capital, on March 24, Rasula and Filipović managed to reach Italy via Budapest and Vienna.At the “Madonna Bianka” swimming pool, where there were over 16 participants from European countries, they were greeted by the ovation of several thousand present in the hall. With the help of Mr. Bologna, the manager of the “Rari Nantes” club, our representatives took the opportunity to inform the Italian and world public about the wanton destruction of our country. Italian newspapers published their statement, and the organizing committee of the European Championship presented our team with an honorary gold medal, which expressed great gratitude and recognition for their participation and courage.
At the beginning of the 2000s, Gordana Goranić was a reliable person who recorded notable results, and then in 2004, Milica Ostojić appeared and started breaking records, first of all for pioneers, then for cadets and juniors.
Сл.2.0 Пливачки клуб деведесетих