Montenegrin water polo coach Petar Porobic, who had just led the Chinese men's national team to win the silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, died at 67.

It was reported that the well-respected coach suffered a heart attack on the plane during his journey back home on Sunday. The cabin crew tried to resuscitate but failed.

Just a day earlier, Porobic led the Chinese team to clinch a silver medal in the men's water polo final against Japan.

Grieving players and fans took to the social media to mourn Porobic.

"I can't believe it. He was a very dedicated coach with a strong sense of responsibility. He made a lot of contributions to China's water polo," said Wu Honghui, the goalkeeper of the Chinese team.

Captain Chen Zhongxian said, "We owe him a gold medal."

"He was a true leader and coach. His leadership and love for the sport promoted the development of Chinese water polo," said Shanghai Water Polo Association. "He was our mentor and friend. His sudden death is a big loss."

Prior to the Asian Games, Porobic took the Chinese team to Europe for training and warm-ups. In the Hangzhou Asiad, the Chinese team advanced as a group leader and beat defending champions Kazakhstan in the semifinals.

After the award ceremony, the Chinese players placed the silver medals around Porobic's neck to show their gratitude and respect.

In 2021, Porobic had ever led the Chinese women's national team to the Tokyo Olympics.

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