[1] He represented the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and earned nine Big East Conference titles for the Syracuse University swimming and diving team, while studying in the United States.

[2][3] In 2001, Filipovic was named Big East Conference's outstanding male swimmer of the year after smashing a meet record of 1:45.70 in the 200-yard butterfly.

[4][5] A member of a defunct Yugoslav squad, Filipovic competed only in the men's 200 m individual medley at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

[6] He challenged seven other swimmers in heat one, including Kuwait's four-time Olympian Sultan Al-Otaibi.

Leading off into the breaststroke leg with a fastest split (38.45), Filipovic faded shortly to third place by a 1.7-second deficit from Kyrgyzstan's Andrei Pakin, winner of his heat, in 2:09.28.