Legendary Croatian volleyball player Maja Poljak, one of the best middle blockers in the world and long-time captain of the Croatian national team, has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor was presented to her at the Budva Sports & Arts Film Festival (BSAFF) as recognition for her outstanding career, leadership, and contribution to sport.
Poljak’s journey is among the most remarkable in European volleyball. Beginning her professional career in 1995 with Mladost Zagreb, she went on to play in Italy, Turkey, and Russia, achieving titles in every country. Over 23 years, she represented seven clubs, including Bergamo, Eczacibasi, Vakifbank, and Dinamo Moscow, where she concluded her career in 2018.
Her success includes 18 individual awards, among them seven Best Blocker titles in the CEV Champions League and two at the FIVB Club World Championship. She won four Champions League trophies with three different clubs, as well as a World Club Championship. On the national stage, she earned a silver medal at the 1999 European Championship at just 16 and a bronze at the 2009 Mediterranean Games. For a decade, she wore the captain’s armband of the Croatian national team and was later selected to the CEV Team of the Decade.
Parallel to her playing career, Poljak completed her studies at the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb. After retirement, she continued shaping the sport as a leading figure in the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), where she became the first woman to head the Events Department, organizing European Championships and Champions League finals. In 2022, she returned to Croatia to join the Croatian Olympic Committee, where she focuses on international cooperation and EU projects.
Upon receiving the award, Poljak expressed her gratitude:
“This award really surprised me, in a good way. It’s a great honor that made me reflect on what I have achieved so far. I’m very proud and motivated to keep working hard and justify this trust. What touched me the most was seeing my parents at the ceremony, sharing the pride of this recognition with me.”
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