Biography
Primorac was born in Zadar and started playing table tennis in the club STK "Bagat" in his home town. As a junior he won seven medals in European championships. In 1985 he moved to the Zagreb club "Vjesnik". At the 1987 World Championship in New Delhi he won the silver medal together with Ilija Lupulesku, and repeated the success by winning the silver at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Together with Lupulesku he also won the 1990 European Championship in Gothenburg.
Primorac competed for Croatia at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona where he reached last 16 in singles and doubles. He repeated the same at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and at the 2004 Summer Olympics he was eliminated in the third round. At 2008 Summer Olympics "Zoki" lost in quarter-final of Men's singles event by Jörgen Persson.
Primorac, Belgian Jean-Michel Saive, and Swede Jörgen Persson are the first table tennis players to have competed at seven Olympics, having competed in all Games since the sport was introduced in 1988.
In 1993 he won a bronze medal in Men's singles at World Table Tennis Championships. He won silver medal in 1995 and bronze in 1999 at World Championships in Men's doubles event.
At the 1998 and 2000 European Championships Primorac won silver medal in Men's singles. In 1998 final he lost against Vladimir Samsonov and in 2000 lost against Peter Karlsson. At 1992, 1994, 2002 and 2005 European Championship he won bronze medal in Men's singles. In the 2007 European Championship in Belgrade he won the silver medal in the team event with Croatia (with Roko Tošić, Andrej Gačina and Tan Ruiwu).
At Mediterranean Games in Men's singles event he won gold medal in 1987, silver in 1993 and 1997 and bronze in 1991. In Men's doubles evnt he won gold medal in 1987 and 1991, silver in 1993 and bronze in 1997.
He currently uses specially-designed equipment made by Butterfly Table Tennis. He uses the Timo Boll spirit blade, while using Tenergy 05 rubber on both sides of his racket.
In the TV comedy The Office, the character Dwight Schrute names Zoran Primorac as one of his heroes, but pronounces his name incorrectly.
Read more about this topic: Zoran Primorac
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