Miro Steržaj facts for kids
Miro Steržaj
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| Nationality | Slovenian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | February 28, 1933 Rakek, Slovenia |
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| Died | November 8, 2020 Murska Sobota, Slovenia |
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| Height | 186 cm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Yugoslavia (134 caps) |
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| Sport | 9-pins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | KK Ljutomer (1950-1962) KK Branik (1962-1978) KK Radenska (1978-2019) |
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Medal record
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Miro Steržaj (full name Miroslav Steržaj, born February 28, 1933 – died November 8, 2020) was a famous Slovenian 9-pin bowling player and a successful businessman. He is remembered as one of the greatest 9-pin bowlers of all time, winning many important championships.
Contents
Miro Steržaj: A Bowling Legend
Miro Steržaj was born in Rakek, Slovenia. When he was 17 years old, he moved to Ljutomer, a town where he would achieve much success.
Early Bowling Career
Miro started playing for the KK Ljutomer bowling club in 1950. He quickly showed his talent, winning his first Slovenian championship in 1960. In 1962, he moved to the KK Branik club in Maribor.
International Success
Miro Steržaj became a true star in 1964. He won the European championship in three different categories: individual, doubles, and team events. During this amazing performance, he even set a new world record!
In 1968, he became a World champion in the individual category. Overall, he won four World championship titles. Three of these were with his team in 1957, 1959, and 1976. He also earned silver medals in doubles in 1968, 1974, and 1976.
National Team and Records
Miro was a key player for the Yugoslav national team for 30 years. He played 134 games for his country, which is a record for any Slovenian player. This record still stands today!
He also holds many national records. He won 7 individual Yugoslavian national titles, which is a record he shares with another great player, Nikola Dragaš. He also won a record 13 individual Slovenian national titles and 10 Slovenian national doubles titles.
Life Beyond Bowling
Miro Steržaj was not just a sports star; he was also a successful businessman and a respected leader in his community.
Business Career
In 1955, Miro started working at Mlekopromet, a dairy company in Ljutomer that made cheese. He worked as a sales manager for 12 years. After that, he became the director of the company. He retired from this important role in 1993.
Even after retiring, he continued to contribute. He became the secretary of the Economic Association of Milk Production. He fully retired from all work in 2003. For his great success in business, he received an award from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia in 1981.
Public Service and Leadership
Miro Steržaj also served his community in politics. He was the vice-mayor of Ljutomer for three terms. From 1988 to 1992, he served as the mayor of Ljutomer. He was also a part of the first Slovenian National Council.
Awards and Recognition
Miro Steržaj received many honors for his incredible achievements in both sports and public life.
In 2003, he was named an honorary citizen of Ljutomer, his adopted hometown. He received the prestigious Bloudek award in 1968 for his outstanding sports achievements. Even though he was never named "Slovenian Sportsman of the Year" directly, he was honored as the "Slovenian Sportsman of the Decade" for 1968–1978. This award recognized his dominance in the years following the first Sportsman of the Year ceremony. In 2012, he was recognized as one of the best Slovenian athletes ever when he was inducted into the Slovenian Athletes Hall of Fame.
