Rio 2016 Olympic Calympian: Milan Ristic, Men's track and field, Serbia

Milan Ristic

Sport: Men's Track and Field (110m Hurdles)

Country: Serbia

Twitter: @MilanRistic110

Birthday: August 8th, 1991 (age 25)

Hometown: Belgrade, Serbia

Cal affiliation: California Golden Bears alum (Social Welfare ‘14)

Years at Cal: 2014

Olympic appearances: 2016 Rio is Milan’s 1st Olympic games

Cal Achievements:

Milan Ristic started his collegiate competitions at UNC Asheville. He transferred to Cal in 2013 (had to sit out an year) and competed for one year in 2014. In just one year of competitions, Ristic has a top 10 time in 110m hurdles in Cal history. His time of 13.71s is 6th best in Cal history prior to the 2016 season.

Ristic raced in both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2014 in the 60 meter hurdles (Indoor) and 110 meter hurdles (Outdoor). He placed 6th at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 60 meter hurdles, setting a new Serbian national record. He placed 15th in the 110 meter hurdles.

Milan Ristic was a member of the 2014 MPSF Men’s Indoor Track and Field conference champion Golden Bears. That was the first time in program history that Cal has won this title. Ristic took 2nd place in the 60m hurdles to help the cause.

International Achievements:

Milan Ristic has been a part of the Serbian national senior team since 2010.

While he has not won any major International competition, Ristic has steadily lowered his 110m hurdle times until it beats the Olympic standard to put him on the Serbian team to the Rio 2016 Olympic games.

Ristic holds the Serbian national record in the 60m hurdle with a time of 7.67s and the 110m hurdler (the Olympic event) with a time of 13.37s.

More on Milan and his Rio Outlook:

Milan Ristic is the 2nd Serbian Calympians in the Rio 2016 games. Incidentally, both Ristic and rower Marko Marjanovic went to an electrotechnical school aptly named Nikola Tesla, after the famed Serbian-American inventor.

With his 25th birthday today (August 8th), Milan Ristic gets to celebrate it in Rio (hopefully with his wife there). While he would need a major drop in time to be competitive for a medal, making it to the Olympics and owning the Serbian national records have no doubts already made 2016 a very special year for Ristic. Enjoy Rio!

The 110m Hurdles heat will be on Monday, August 15th at 4:15 PM PT. Semifinals and finals are on the following day.

Good luck to Milan in Rio and GO BEARS!