Vladimir "Vanja" Grbić (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Вања Грбић; born 14 December 1970) is a Serbian former volleyball player and three-time Olympian. He is 193 cm and played as passer-side attacker. He was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2011.[1]
While playing with the national volleyball team of FR Yugoslavia, Grbić won a bronze medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics and a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics.[2] He competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics with the team of Serbia and Montenegro, finishing fifth.[1]
The Yugoslav Olympic Committee declared Grbić the best sportsman of the year in 1996 and 2000.[1][3] In 1999 and 2000, he received the Golden Badge, an award for the best athlete in Yugoslavia.[1]
In his career, Grbić made 242 appearances for the national team until his retirement in 2009.[1] Grbić was known for his powerful spikes and excellent passing on the volleyball court.[1] He was also regarded as a sportsman of great character.[1]
Grbić's father, Miloš, also played volleyball and was a member of the Yugoslavian national team.[1] His younger brother, Nikola, was also a volleyball player on the national team, and similarly is in the Hall of Fame.[4][1] Grbić's wife, Sara, is a former karate world champion.[5]
