Mait Riisman (23 September 1956 – 17 May 2018) was an Estonian

water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...

player who played for the

Soviet Union national water polo team The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until it dissolved in 1991. During its existence, it was the largest country by area ...

, winning the gold medal in the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad () and officially branded as Moscow 1980 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, in present-day Russ ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

Playing career

Riisman started playing

in 1966 at Kalev Swimming School in Tallinn. In 1974, he moved to Moscow and continued training in the Moscow State University's team and in the Soviet Union team. Riisman was a member of the

Moscow State University Moscow State University (MSU), officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,. is a public university, public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, a ...

team 1974–83,

Torpedo Moscow Football Club Torpedo Moscow (, ''FK Torpedo Moskva''), known as Torpedo Moscow, is a Russian professional association football, football club based in Moscow. The club will return to the Russian Premier League in the 2025–26 season. Their c ...

1983–84 and

Dynamo Moscow MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (), is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first institution created from the All-Union Dynamo Sports Club. Dynamo Mosco ...

1984–88. Riisman won the gold medal at the

1980 Moscow Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad () and officially branded as Moscow 1980 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, in present-day Russ ...

and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1976. At Soviet Union's championships he won four gold medals (1979, 1985–87) four silver medals (1975, 1977, 1980, 1981) and a bronze medal (1976).

Coaching career

In 1989-91, Riisman was the water polo coach of

and the second coach of the Soviet Union team. From 1991 to 1996, he worked as a coach of the French club

Racing Club de France Racing Club de France, also known as RCF, is a French multi-sport club that was founded on 20 April 1882 under the name Racing Club. Racing Club changed its name to Racing Club de France (RCF) on 21 November 1885. The club is located at the Bois ...

, the team won silver (1994) and bronze (1993) at the

French championship The French rugby league championship () was the top tier of the French rugby league system from its inception in 1934 until 2002 when the league was split into two divisions; the Elite One Championship and Elite Two Championship. In all seasons ...

. From 1996 to 2004, Riisman was the head coach of the Dynamo Moscow water polo team, winning the

European Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European association football, football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The competition's official name was originally the European Cup Winners' Cup; it was renam ...

(1999–2000) and became the champion of Russia four times (1997–98, 1999–00, 2001–02). From 1997–2000, Riisman was also the second coach of the Russian water polo team. In 2005, Riisman was elected as the chairman of the Council of Coaches of the Russian Water Polo Federation. From 2001 to 2011, he was the president and general manager of the Dynamo Moscow water polo club, and later an adviser to the president. Riisman was an honorary member of the

Estonian Olympic Committee The Estonian Olympic Committee (, EOK) is responsible for Estonia's participation in the Olympic Games. History The Estonian Sports Federation () decided to form the Estonian Olympic Committee in the First Estonian Sport Congress () on 30 Novem ...

(2002) and in 2006 he received the EOC honorary medal.

References

External links

* * * * * 1956 births 2018 deaths Olympic water polo players for the Soviet Union Water polo players at the 1980 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union Olympic medalists in water polo Sportspeople from Tallinn Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics Soviet male water polo players Estonian male water polo players {{USSR-waterpolo-bio-stub

Playing career

Coaching career

See also

References

External links