“Absolute unit on the Croatian Water Polo squad. This is what elite athletic excellence looks like,” a fan exclaimed after witnessing the impressive physique of Croatian water polo star Josip Vrlic at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
While many spectators are used to seeing chiseled, muscle-bound athletes in swimming or lean, agile competitors in sports like running and climbing, water polo demands a different kind of physical prowess.
Vrlic, standing at 1.98 meters and weighing 135 kg, embodies the ideal build for his sport, proving that excellence in water polo is as much about power and stability as it is about speed and agility.
However, not everyone was quick to appreciate Vrlic’s unique physique. Some online commentators mistook his prominent belly and higher body fat percentage for a sign of laziness, with one user on X (formerly Twitter) jokingly labeling him as the only “natural” athlete at the event.
“How is it possible to stay this fat while treading water for a living?” asked one perplexed viewer, seemingly unaware that Vrlic’s bulk is not a disadvantage but a key asset in his sport.
Water polo, often described as the “Greco-Roman wrestling” of water sports, requires a different set of physical attributes than other aquatic events. The game involves intense bursts of energy, interspersed with periods of slower, more strategic movement. In this sport, the ability to resist being moved by opponents is just as crucial as the ability to move swiftly through the water.
“Water polo is just such a vertical sport now, body-position wise, when it used to be more horizontal with counters and driving,” explained Matt Swanson, a two-time NCAA water polo player of the year at UCLA and a respected water polo coach, in an interview with Swimming World Magazine.
In the past, it wasn’t unusual for athletes to compete in both swimming and water polo, but as the sports have evolved, specialization has become essential, leading to distinct physical builds for each discipline. For water polo players like Vrlic, mass, strength, and endurance are paramount.
“Players nowadays are much bigger, more physical, and have the ability to shoot much better. Leg strength is critical in today’s game, whether that is in defense or on the attack,” said Peter Schnugg, a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame.
Age is another factor that plays to Vrlic’s advantage. At 38 years old, he is living proof that experience can trump youth in water polo. “I often reference when I was at Stanford: a group of the top players in the country, all 20-ish years old in the best shape of our lives, and we’d occasionally scrimmage the Olympic Club in the offseason: primarily 40-year-old men who weren’t in great shape but who’d played the game for much longer than us. And they’d beat us!” recalled Jack Bowen, an All-American water polo player at Stanford and a water polo coach at Menlo School.
Online reactions to Vrlic’s physique were mixed, with some viewers expressing admiration for his powerful build. “Finally, dadbod representation,” one fan wrote. Others, recognizing the demands of water polo, noted the physical toll the sport takes. “Bro must be consuming insane calories. Water polo is brutal,” one user commented, while another pointed out, “Most spectators will never understand the physicality of water polo. Above the water, it looks like handball. Below the water line, it’s like Greco-Roman wrestling.”
Women, in particular, seemed to appreciate Vrlic’s physique, with one fan declaring, “I don’t care what y’all say, this build is hot,” and another chiming in, “This is literally the ideal man imo.”
Having represented both Croatia and Brazil during his career, including competing for Brazil at the Rio Olympics, Vrlic’s experience and skill continue to make him a formidable force in the sport.
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