Miro Steržaj (full name Miroslav Steržaj, 28 February 1933 – 8 November 2020) was a Slovene 9 pin bowling player and politician.[1]

Miro Steržaj
Miro Steržaj
Personal information
NationalitySlovenian
Born(1933-02-28)February 28, 1933
Rakek, Slovenia
Died(2020-11-08)November 8, 2020
Murska Sobota, Slovenia
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Sport
Country Yugoslavia (134 caps)
 SR Slovenia (34 caps)
Sport9-pins
ClubKK Ljutomer (1950-1962)
KK Branik (1962-1978)
KK Radenska (1978-2019)
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Men's 9-pins
Representing  Yugoslavia
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 4 3 5
European Championships 3 2 0
Total 7 5 5
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1957 Vienna Team
Gold medal – first place 1959 Bautzen Team
Gold medal – first place 1968 Linz Individual
Gold medal – first place 1976 Vienna Team
Silver medal – second place 1968 Linz Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1974 Eppelheim Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1976 Vienna Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1966 Bucharest Team
Bronze medal – third place 1972 Split Team
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Eppelheim Team
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Mangalia Team
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Ljubljana Team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1964 Budapest Individual
Gold medal – first place 1964 Budapest Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1964 Budapest Team
Silver medal – second place 1958 Munich Team
Silver medal – second place 1960 Zagreb Team
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Yugoslav Championships 13 7 5
Slovenian Championships 25 17 9
Total National Championships 38 24 14
Yugoslav Championships
Gold medal – first place 1964 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1965 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1965 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1966 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1966 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1967 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1968 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1968 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1971 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1974 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1976 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1978 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1963 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1967 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1970 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1972 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1974 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1975 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1980 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1961 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1982 Doubles
Slovenian Championships
Gold medal – first place 1960 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1961 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1962 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1963 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1964 Team
Gold medal – first place 1965 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1966 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1968 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1970 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1970 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1971 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1971 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1972 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1973 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1973 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1974 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1974 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1978 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1978 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1980 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1980 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1982 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1983 Team
Gold medal – first place 1984 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1964 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1965 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1965 Team
Silver medal – second place 1966 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1967 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1967 Team
Silver medal – second place 1968 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1969 Team
Silver medal – second place 1970 Team
Silver medal – second place 1975 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1977 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1979 Team
Silver medal – second place 1982 Doubles
Silver medal – second place 1982 Team
Silver medal – second place 1983 Individual
Silver medal – second place 1983 Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1962 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1966 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1967 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1972 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1973 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Team
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Team

Biography

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He was born in Rakek, Municipality of Cerknica, but moved to Ljutomer when he was 17 years old.

From 1950 to 1962 he played for KK Ljutomer, where he won his first individual Slovenian championship in 1960. In 1962 he moved to KK Branik in Maribor. In 1964 he became absolute European champion, winning in the individual, doubles and team events, while setting a new world record. In 1968 he became World champion with another world record in the individual category, adding to what would eventually become 4 World championship titles (3 with team in 1957, 1959 and 1976). He came second in doubles in 1968 (with Jože Turk), 1974 and 1976 (with Nikola Dragaš). He was part of the Yugoslav national team for 30 years, becoming their most capped player with 134 caps, which is a record for Slovenian players that stands until today. He won a record 7 individual national Yugoslavian titles (tied with Nikola Dragaš), a record 13 individual national Slovenian titles and a record 10 Slovenian national doubles titles, making him the statistically best Slovene nine-pin bowler of all time.

In 1955 he began to work at Mlekopromet, a cheese producing dairy in Ljutomer. He was sales manager for 12 years, after which he was appointed director. In 1993 he retired from his post. After his retirement he became secretary of the Economic association of milk production (GIZ mlekarstva). In 2003 he retired from the association and work completely. For his success in business, he received the award of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia in 1981.

He served three terms as vice-mayor, and from 1988 to 1992 as mayor of Ljutomer. He served as a member of the 1st Slovenian National Council.

He was named honorary citizen of Ljutomer in 2003. He received the Bloudek award for his sport achievements in 1968. Despite never being named Slovenian Sportsman of the Year outright, he got honoured as Slovenian Sportsman of the decade 1968–1978, awarded for the decade following the first Sportsman of the Year award ceremony. In 2012 he was inducted into the Slovenian Athletes Hall of Fame.

He died in November 2020, aged 87, from COVID-19 and thrombosis during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Umrl je Miroslav Steržaj" [Miroslav Steržaj has died]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  2. ^ "Umrl Miro Steržaj - Velikan slovenskega kegljanja". 8 November 2020.
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  • Slovenski veliki leksikon, Mladinska knjiga (2003)