History of water polo
Encyclopedia
The history of water polo
as a team sport began in late 19th century England and Scotland, where water sports were a feature of county fairs and festivals. Men's water polo was the among the first team sports introduced at the modern Olympic games in 1900.
The rules of water polo were originally developed in the late nineteenth century in Great Britain
by William Wilson
. The modern game originated as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland with a ball
constructed of Indian rubber. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti
word for ball, pulu. Early play allowed brute strength, wrestling and holding opposing players underwater to recover the ball; the goalie stood outside the playing area and defended the goal by jumping in on any opponent attempting to score by placing the ball on the deck.
By the 1880s, the game evolved that stressed swimming, passing, and scoring by shooting into a goal net; players could only be tackled when holding the ball and could not be taken under water. To deal with constant changes in rules, in 1888, the London Water Polo League was founded and approved rules to allow team competition, forming the foundation of the present game. The first English championships were played in 1888. In 1890, the first international water polo game was played; Scotland defeated England, 4-0.
Between 1890 and 1900, the game developed in Europe, with teams competing in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Hungary and Italy, using British rules. A different game was being played in the United States, characterized by rough play, holding, diving underwater, and soft, semi-inflated ball that could be gripped tightly and carried underwater. As a result, European teams did not compete in the 1904 Olympic championships in St. Louis
. By 1914, most US teams agreed to conform to international rules. An international water polo committee was formed in 1929, consisting of representatives from Great Britain and the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA
). Rules were developed for international matches and put into effect in 1930; FINA has been the international governing body for the sport since that time.
Over the years, both technical and rule changes affected the character of the game. In 1928, Hungarian water polo coach Béla Komjádi invented the "air pass," or "dry pass", a technique in which a player directly passes the ball through the air to another player, who receives it without the ball hitting the water. Previously, players would let the ball drop in the water first and then reach out for it, but the dry pass made the offensive game more dynamic, and contributed to Hungarian dominance of water polo for 60 years. In 1936, James R. ("Jimmy") Smith
, California water polo coach and author of several books on water polo mechanics, developed a water polo ball
made with an inflatable bladder and a rubber fabric cover, which improved performance. The previous leather ball absorbed water and became heavier during the game. In 1949, rule changes allowed play to continue uninterrupted after a referee whistled an ordinary foul, speeding up play. In the 1970s, the exclusion foul replaced a point system for major fouls; players guilty of this foul were excluded for a 1 minute penalty and their team forced to play with fewer players. Possession of the ball was limited to 45 seconds before a scoring attempt. Time of penalties and possession have been reduced since then. The direct shot on goal from the seven (7) meter line after a free throw was allowed in 1994, and changed to a five meter throw in 2005.
In 2006, revisions were made to the NFHS 2006-2007 swimming/diving and water polo rulebook (USWP and NCAA rules still vary). The four and seven metre lines were merged to a five metre line. Under the revised rules, a goalkeeper
may use two hands and stand on the bottom of the pool (if shallow) until the 5 metre line, and go beyond the 5 metre line according to the field rules (one hand on the ball no standing), but still not pass the half line. The goalie may strike the ball with a clenched fist, although this is not recommended.
New cap rules were also enacted. A goalie cap must now be in quarters alternating red/dark for home and red/white for away. The goalie must be number 1, 1a, or 1b. For women, a red swim cap must be worn under the goalie cap. A team's dark swim cap is no longer acceptable as it is hard to distinguish a goalie from field players if official cap is off.
Men's water polo at the Olympics
was the among the first team sports introduced at the 1900 games
(along with cricket, rugby, football (soccer), polo (with horses), rowing and tug of war). Women's water polo became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
after political protests from the Australian women's team. Such protests were rewarded when Australia won the gold medal match against the United States with a "buzzer-beater" last-minute goal, taken from outside the seven meter line.
Some of the best ever include Spain's Manuel Estiarte
who played in a record six Olympics and led in scoring for four of them. Dezső Gyarmati
of Hungary won water polo medals at five successive Olympic Games (gold 1952, 1956, 1964; silver 1948; bronze 1960), a record in water polo. Another major figure in the sport was Tamás Faragó
, who led Hungary
to Olympic Medals in 1972, 1976 and 1980. The play of American Terry Schroeder led the United States to its first Olympic silver medals in 1984 and 1988.
The most famous water polo match in history is probably the 1956 Summer Olympics
semi-final match between Hungary and the Soviet Union
. As the athletes left for the games, the Hungarian revolution began, and the Soviet army crushed the uprising. Many of the Hungarian athletes vowed never to return home, and felt their only means of fighting back was by victory in the pool. The confrontation was the most bloody and violent water polo game in history, in which the pool reputedly turned red from blood. The Hungarians defeated the Soviets 4-0 before the game was called off in the final minute to prevent angry Hungarians in the crowd reacting to Valentin Prokopov punching Ervin Zador
's eye open. The Hungarians went on to win the Olympic gold medal by defeating Yugoslavia
2-1 in the final. Half of the Hungarian Olympic delegation defected after the games. A documentary by Lucy Liu
, Freedom's Fury
, premiered in April 2006, recounting the events of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and climaxing with this politicized game.
is played together with the World Swimming
Championship, under the auspices of FINA
. Women's water polo was added in 1986. A second tournament series, the FINA Water Polo World Cup, has been held every other year since 1979. In 2002, FINA organized the sport's first international league, the FINA Water Polo World League
, in which the best national teams compete against one another in an annual season format with nearly half a million dollar purse.
Internationally, the biggest water polo competition in the world is played in the Netherlands. Prince William of Wales was the captain of his collegiate water polo team at St Andrew's University, Scotland. The annual Varsity Match
between Oxford and Cambridge
Universities is the sport's longest running rivalry, first played in 1891.
Olympic medals in women's water polo
Women
Women
Women
(Source: FINA)
Today club
water polo is gaining popularity in the United States
. Though the majority of domestic club teams are based in California
, Florida
, Illinois
, and Texas
, New England
and Missouri
preparatory high schools also often field teams. Club water polo teams in the United States often compete in national championships such as Junior Olympics, National Club Championships, and the Speedo Cup. Club teams from Washington, Oregon
, Utah
, and Michigan
were entered at the 2005 USWP Junior Olympics.
Aniko Pelle
(Hungary) and Sofia Konoukh (Russia) were among the first of an increasing number of international players competing in U.S. collegiate women's water polo. Because of water polo's increased popularity globally, the influence of international coaches like USC
's Jovan Vavic from the former Yugoslavia, and the perks of attending an American college, international players are attracted to the premier US colleges. The 2005 Hawaii
women's water polo team, coached by Canadian Michel Roy, has nine international players, the most of any team in the nation.
Teams from California dominate at the collegiate level. In the United States, water polo players tend to have prestigious academic backgrounds as well. A number of players, including former USA team captain Wolf Wigo
, who retired after Athens 2004, Jacqueline Frank DeLuca
, bronze medal
Olympic goalie, and international phenom Tony Azevedo
attended Stanford University
. The sport's most notable balancing act to date includes Omar Amr, who played on the US National Team while attending Harvard Medical School
and recovering from a near career ending knee injury in 2001.
College championships
In the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
, the UCLA women beat University of Southern California
6 to 3, for their fourth consecutive championship title. In the 2007 Men's NCAA Finals
, the UC Berkeley Golden Bears defended their 2006 title by defeating the No. 1-ranked USC
water polo men, 8-6. The most prestigious individual water polo honor, the Peter J. Cutino Award
, was established in 1999 by the San Francisco Olympic Club, and is presented annually to the top American male and female collegiate water polo player. In 2008, Tim Hutten
from UC Irvine and Courtney Mathewson
from UCLA won the Cutinos.
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
as a team sport began in late 19th century England and Scotland, where water sports were a feature of county fairs and festivals. Men's water polo was the among the first team sports introduced at the modern Olympic games in 1900.
Development of the game
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
by William Wilson
William Wilson (aquatics)
William Wilson was a late 19th-century British journalist, swimming instructor and coach, and contributor to the scientific techniques behind competitive swimming...
. The modern game originated as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland with a ball
Water polo ball
A water polo ball is a ball used in water polo and canoe polo, usually characterized by a bright yellow colour and ease of gripability, so as to allow it to be held with one hand despite its large size.-Standard water polo ball characteristics:...
constructed of Indian rubber. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti
Balti language
Balti is a language spoken in Baltistan, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and adjoining parts of Ladakh. Baltistan, before 1948, was part of Ladakh province. The Balti language is a dialect of the Ladakhi language, a form of Tibetan. It is mutually intelligible with Ladakhi proper and Burig...
word for ball, pulu. Early play allowed brute strength, wrestling and holding opposing players underwater to recover the ball; the goalie stood outside the playing area and defended the goal by jumping in on any opponent attempting to score by placing the ball on the deck.
By the 1880s, the game evolved that stressed swimming, passing, and scoring by shooting into a goal net; players could only be tackled when holding the ball and could not be taken under water. To deal with constant changes in rules, in 1888, the London Water Polo League was founded and approved rules to allow team competition, forming the foundation of the present game. The first English championships were played in 1888. In 1890, the first international water polo game was played; Scotland defeated England, 4-0.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. By 1914, most US teams agreed to conform to international rules. An international water polo committee was formed in 1929, consisting of representatives from Great Britain and the International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
). Rules were developed for international matches and put into effect in 1930; FINA has been the international governing body for the sport since that time.
Over the years, both technical and rule changes affected the character of the game. In 1928, Hungarian water polo coach Béla Komjádi invented the "air pass," or "dry pass", a technique in which a player directly passes the ball through the air to another player, who receives it without the ball hitting the water. Previously, players would let the ball drop in the water first and then reach out for it, but the dry pass made the offensive game more dynamic, and contributed to Hungarian dominance of water polo for 60 years. In 1936, James R. ("Jimmy") Smith
James R. Smith
James R. Smith was an early 20th Century California water polo player and coach. He developed many of the modern rules which are used in competition today, including the use of the yellow rubberized ball adopted by FINA in 1956....
, California water polo coach and author of several books on water polo mechanics, developed a water polo ball
Water polo ball
A water polo ball is a ball used in water polo and canoe polo, usually characterized by a bright yellow colour and ease of gripability, so as to allow it to be held with one hand despite its large size.-Standard water polo ball characteristics:...
made with an inflatable bladder and a rubber fabric cover, which improved performance. The previous leather ball absorbed water and became heavier during the game. In 1949, rule changes allowed play to continue uninterrupted after a referee whistled an ordinary foul, speeding up play. In the 1970s, the exclusion foul replaced a point system for major fouls; players guilty of this foul were excluded for a 1 minute penalty and their team forced to play with fewer players. Possession of the ball was limited to 45 seconds before a scoring attempt. Time of penalties and possession have been reduced since then. The direct shot on goal from the seven (7) meter line after a free throw was allowed in 1994, and changed to a five meter throw in 2005.
Local rule variations
United StatesIn 2006, revisions were made to the NFHS 2006-2007 swimming/diving and water polo rulebook (USWP and NCAA rules still vary). The four and seven metre lines were merged to a five metre line. Under the revised rules, a goalkeeper
Goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by intercepting shots at goal...
may use two hands and stand on the bottom of the pool (if shallow) until the 5 metre line, and go beyond the 5 metre line according to the field rules (one hand on the ball no standing), but still not pass the half line. The goalie may strike the ball with a clenched fist, although this is not recommended.
New cap rules were also enacted. A goalie cap must now be in quarters alternating red/dark for home and red/white for away. The goalie must be number 1, 1a, or 1b. For women, a red swim cap must be worn under the goalie cap. A team's dark swim cap is no longer acceptable as it is hard to distinguish a goalie from field players if official cap is off.
Olympic competition
Water polo at the Summer Olympics
Water polo has been part of the Summer Olympics program since the second games, in 1900. A women's water polo tournament was introduced for the 2000 Summer Olympics...
was the among the first team sports introduced at the 1900 games
Water polo at the 1900 Summer Olympics
At the 1900 Summer Olympics, a water polo tournament was contested.8 teams entered the water polo event, with one withdrawing before competition. The tournament was played in a single-elimination format, with no playoff for third place. Thus, four of the seven competing teams won...
(along with cricket, rugby, football (soccer), polo (with horses), rowing and tug of war). Women's water polo became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
after political protests from the Australian women's team. Such protests were rewarded when Australia won the gold medal match against the United States with a "buzzer-beater" last-minute goal, taken from outside the seven meter line.
Some of the best ever include Spain's Manuel Estiarte
Manuel Estiarte
Manuel Estiarte Duocastella is a former water polo player from Spain. He is considered by many the best of all time.Estiarte has played 578 times for the Spanish team...
who played in a record six Olympics and led in scoring for four of them. Dezső Gyarmati
Dezso Gyarmati
Dezső Gyarmati is a former Hungarian water polo player and three times Olympic champion, and also a former coach of the Hungarian national water polo team.-Player career:...
of Hungary won water polo medals at five successive Olympic Games (gold 1952, 1956, 1964; silver 1948; bronze 1960), a record in water polo. Another major figure in the sport was Tamás Faragó
Tamás Faragó
Tamás Faragó is a former water polo player from Hungary, who competed for his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1972....
, who led Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to Olympic Medals in 1972, 1976 and 1980. The play of American Terry Schroeder led the United States to its first Olympic silver medals in 1984 and 1988.
The most famous water polo match in history is probably the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
semi-final match between Hungary and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. As the athletes left for the games, the Hungarian revolution began, and the Soviet army crushed the uprising. Many of the Hungarian athletes vowed never to return home, and felt their only means of fighting back was by victory in the pool. The confrontation was the most bloody and violent water polo game in history, in which the pool reputedly turned red from blood. The Hungarians defeated the Soviets 4-0 before the game was called off in the final minute to prevent angry Hungarians in the crowd reacting to Valentin Prokopov punching Ervin Zador
Ervin Zador
Ervin Zádor is a Hungarian retired water polo player and former member of the Hungarian national team.-Career:At the age of 21 Zádor represented Hungary at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. He played four matches and scored five goals.The Soviet Union and Hungary fielded competitive water...
's eye open. The Hungarians went on to win the Olympic gold medal by defeating Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
2-1 in the final. Half of the Hungarian Olympic delegation defected after the games. A documentary by Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
, Freedom's Fury
Freedom's Fury
Freedom's Fury is a documentary film about the Melbourne, Australia 1956 Summer Olympics semifinal water polo match between Hungary and the USSR, and the events that led up to the violent battle, the match that what would later be known as the "Blood in the Water match."The documentary was narrated...
, premiered in April 2006, recounting the events of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and climaxing with this politicized game.
International play
Every 2 to 4 years since 1973, a men's Water Polo World ChampionshipWater polo world championship
The FINA World Water Polo Championship is an international water polo tournament, currently held every two years as part of the FINA World Aquatics Championships. Currently the reigning champions are Italy in men's and Greece in women's competition.-History:...
is played together with the World Swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
Championship, under the auspices of FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
. Women's water polo was added in 1986. A second tournament series, the FINA Water Polo World Cup, has been held every other year since 1979. In 2002, FINA organized the sport's first international league, the FINA Water Polo World League
FINA Water Polo World League
The FINA Water Polo World League began in 2002 to capitalize on increased worldwide popularity of water polo created by recent Olympic Games, especially in Europe, North America and Australia. Competition between the world’s best male players began on national teams in a season format with a prize...
, in which the best national teams compete against one another in an annual season format with nearly half a million dollar purse.
Internationally, the biggest water polo competition in the world is played in the Netherlands. Prince William of Wales was the captain of his collegiate water polo team at St Andrew's University, Scotland. The annual Varsity Match
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
between Oxford and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Universities is the sport's longest running rivalry, first played in 1891.
Olympic Games
Olympic medals in men's water polo| 1900 Paris Water polo at the 1900 Summer Olympics At the 1900 Summer Olympics, a water polo tournament was contested.8 teams entered the water polo event, with one withdrawing before competition. The tournament was played in a single-elimination format, with no playoff for third place. Thus, four of the seven competing teams won... |
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| 1904 St. Louis Water polo at the 1904 Summer Olympics At the 1904 Summer Olympics, a water polo tournament was contested. Only American contestants participated; three teams of 7 players each entered.... |
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| 1908 London Water polo at the 1908 Summer Olympics At the 1908 Summer Olympics, a water polo tournament was contested.-Medal table:-Medal summary:-Belgium:* Victor Boin* Herman Donners* Fernand Feyaerts * Oscar Grégoire* Herman Meyboom* Albert Michant * Joseph Pletinckx... |
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| 1912 Stockholm Water polo at the 1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, saw the fourth water polo tournament at Olympics. All games took place in the newly built swimming stadium in Djurgårdsbrunnsviken from July 7 to July 16, 1912.-Medal summary:... |
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| 1920 Antwerp Water polo at the 1920 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Gold medal round:-Silver medal round:-Bronze medal round:... |
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| 1924 Paris Water polo at the 1924 Summer Olympics Final results for the water polo tournament at the 1924 Summer Olympics:-Medal summary:Note: The players above the line played at least one game in this tournament, the players below the line were reserve players and did not compete in this tournament. Nevertheless the exclusively credits them all... |
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| 1928 Amsterdam Water polo at the 1928 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Results:For the team rosters see: Water polo at the 1928 Summer Olympics - Men's team squads.-Participating nations:Each country was allowed to enter a team of 11 players and they all were eligible for participation.... |
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| 1932 Los Angeles Water polo at the 1932 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Round-Robin:All of the five teams played each team once.Germany vs. Brazil4 August 1932USA vs. Brazil6 August 1932Hungary vs. Germany6 August 1932USA vs. Japan7 August 1932Hungary vs. Japan... |
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| 1936 Berlin Water polo at the 1936 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Elimination Rounds:In the first round each team in a group played each other team in the same group. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided... |
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| 1948 London Water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Round One:In the first round each team in a group played each other team in the same group. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided... |
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| 1952 Helsinki Water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Results:For the team rosters see: Water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics - Men's team squads.-Final standings:-References:*... |
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| 1956 Melbourne Water polo at the 1956 Summer Olympics Ten nations competed in water polo at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. The event was open only to men's teams.-Medallists:-Results:For the team rosters see: Water polo at the 1956 Summer Olympics - Men's team squads.-Preliminary round:... |
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| 1960 Rome Water polo at the 1960 Summer Olympics -Medal summary:-Results:For the team rosters see: Water polo at the 1960 Summer Olympics - Men's team squads.-Final standings:-References:*... |
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| 1964 Tokyo Water polo at the 1964 Summer Olympics Final results for the water polo tournament at the 1964 Summer Olympics:FIRST ROUNDGroup A: Italy,4; Romania,2; Japan,0Group B: USSR,4; Germany,2; Australia,0Group C: Yugoslavia,6; Netherlands,4; USA,2; Brazil,0... |
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| 1968 Mexico City Water polo at the 1968 Summer Olympics The Water Polo Tournament at the 1968 Summer Olympics was held from October 14 to October 25, 1968 in Mexico City, Mexico. Australia earned one of sixteen invitations, but the Australian Olympic Committee refused to pay the squad's transportation cost... |
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| 1972 Munich Water polo at the 1972 Summer Olympics Final results for the water polo competition at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich.-Medalists:- Pool A :-Pool B:-Pool C:- Group II :Results taken from Preliminary Round... |
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| 1976 Montreal Water polo at the 1976 Summer Olympics The water polo tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics was held from July 18 to July 27, 1976 in Montreal, Canada.-Medalists:-Participating teams:Group AGroup BGroup C-Group A:*July 18, 1976*July 19, 1976*July 20, 1976-Group B:... |
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| 1980 Moscow Water polo at the 1980 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 1980 Summer Olympics as usual was a part of the swimming sport, other two parts were swimming and diving. They were not three separate sports, because they all were governed by one federation — FINA. Water Polo discipline consisted of one event: men's team.In the preliminary... |
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| 1984 Los Angeles Water polo at the 1984 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 1984 Summer Olympics as usual was part of the swimming sport, the other two being swimming and diving. They were not seen as three separate sports, because they all were governed by one federation — FINA. Water polo discipline consisted of one event: the men's team... |
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| 1988 Seoul Water polo at the 1988 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 1988 Summer Olympics as usual was part of the swimming sport, the other two being swimming and diving. They were not seen as three separate sports, because they all were governed by one federation — FINA. Water polo discipline consisted of one event: the men's team... |
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| 1992 Barcelona Water polo at the 1992 Summer Olympics The men's water polo tournament at the 1992 Summer Olympics was held from August 1 to August 10, 1992, in Barcelona, Spain. Reigning world champion Yugoslavia had qualified for the tournament, but as it had formally dissolved in the interim, it didn't participate.The successor countries didn't... |
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| 1996 Atlanta Water polo at the 1996 Summer Olympics The men's water polo tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held from July 20 to July 28, 1996, in Atlanta, United States.-Group A:*Saturday July 20, 1996*Sunday July 21, 1996*Monday July 22, 1996*Tuesday July 23, 1996... |
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| 2000 Sydney Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics The water polo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw Hungary’s return to the gold medal platform and the introduction of the women’s tournament... |
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| 2004 Athens Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics.... |
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| 2008 Beijing Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held from 10 August to 24 August 2008 at the Ying Tung Natatorium in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-Men's medalists:-Women's medalists:-Men:-Women:-External links:**... |
Olympic medals in women's water polo
| 2000 Sydney Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics The water polo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw Hungary’s return to the gold medal platform and the introduction of the women’s tournament... |
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| 2004 Athens Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics.... |
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| 2008 Beijing Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held from 10 August to 24 August 2008 at the Ying Tung Natatorium in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-Men's medalists:-Women's medalists:-Men:-Women:-External links:**... |
I. FINA World Aquatics Championships
Men| 1973 Belgrade, Yugoslavia |  Hungary |
 Soviet Union |
 Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| 1975 Cali, Colombia | Soviet Union |
Hungary |
 Italy |
| 1978 Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Italy |
Hungary |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| 1982 Guayaquil, Ecuador | Soviet Union |
Hungary |
 Germany |
| 1986 Madrid, Spain | Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
Italy |
Soviet Union |
| 1991 Perth, Australia Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
 Spain |
Hungary |
| 1994 Rome, Italy | Italy |
Spain |
 Russia |
| 1998 Perth, Australia Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Spain |
Hungary |
|
| 2001 Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by... |
Spain |
Russia |
|
| 2003 Barcelona, Spain | Hungary |
Italy |
 Serbia and Montenegro |
| 2005 Montreal, Canada | Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
 Greece |
| 2007 Melbourne, Australia |  Independent State of Croatia |
Hungary |
Spain |
| 2009 Rome, Italy |  Serbia |
Spain |
Independent State of Croatia |
Women
| 1986 Madrid, Spain |  Australia |
 Netherlands |
 United States |
| 1991 Perth, Australia Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Netherlands |
 Canada |
United States |
| 1994 Rome, Italy | Hungary |
Netherlands |
Italy |
| 1998 Perth, Western Australia Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Italy |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 2001 Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by... |
Italy |
Hungary |
Canada |
| 2003 Barcelona, Spain | United States |
Italy |
Russia |
| 2005 Montreal, Canada | Hungary |
United States |
Canada |
| 2007 Melbourne, Australia | United States |
Australia |
Russia |
| 2009 Rome, Italy |
II. FINA Water Polo World Cup
Men| 1979 Belgrade, Yugoslavia | Hungary |
United States |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| 1981 Long Beach, California Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... |
Soviet Union |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
 Cuba |
| 1983 Malibu, California | Soviet Union |
Germany |
Italy |
| 1985 Duisburg Duisburg - History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC... , Germany |
Germany |
United States |
Spain |
| 1987 Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... , Greece |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
Soviet Union |
Germany |
| 1989 Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
Italy |
Hungary |
| 1991 Barcelona, Spain | United States |
Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
Spain |
| 1993 Athens, Greece | Italy |
Hungary |
Australia |
| 1995 Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... |
Hungary |
Italy |
Russia |
| 1997 Athens, Greece | United States |
Greece |
Hungary |
| 1999 Sydney, Australia | Hungary |
Italy |
Spain |
| 2002 Belgrade, Serbia | Russia |
Hungary |
|
| 2006 Budapest, Hungary | Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
Spain |
Women
| 1979 Merced, California Merced, California Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government... |
United States |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 1980 Breda Breda Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance... , Netherlands |
Netherlands |
United States |
Canada |
| 1981 Brisbane, Australia | Canada |
Netherlands |
Australia |
| 1983 Sainte-Foy, Quebec Sainte-Foy, Quebec Sainte-Foy is a former city in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. Most of Sainte-Foy is in the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge.... , Canada |
Netherlands |
United States |
Australia |
| 1984 Irvine, California Irvine, California Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California... |
Australia |
United States |
Netherlands |
| 1988 Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... , New Zealand |
Netherlands |
Hungary |
Canada |
| 1989 Eindhoven, Netherlands | Netherlands |
United States |
Hungary |
| 1991 Long Beach, California Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... |
Netherlands |
Australia |
United States |
| 1993 Catania, Italy | Netherlands |
Italy |
Hungary |
| 1995 Sydney, Australia | Australia |
Netherlands |
Hungary |
| 1997 Nancy, France | Netherlands |
Russia |
Australia |
| 1999 Winnipeg, Canada | Netherlands |
Australia |
Italy |
| 2002 Perth, Western Australia Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... |
Hungary |
United States |
Canada |
| 2006 Tianjin Tianjin ' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government... , China |
Australia |
Italy |
Russia |
III. FINA Water Polo World League
Men| 2002 Patras, Greece | Russia |
Spain |
Hungary |
| 2003 New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
Hungary |
Italy |
United States |
| 2004 Long Beach, California Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... |
Hungary |
Serbia and Montenegro |
Greece |
| 2005 Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... , Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia... |
Serbia and Montenegro |
Hungary |
Germany |
| 2006 Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... |
Serbia and Montenegro |
Spain |
Greece |
Women
| 2004 Long Beach, California Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... |
United States |
Hungary |
Italy |
| 2005 Kirishi Kirishi Kirishi is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Volkhov River, southeast of St. Petersburg. Population: -History:... , Russia |
Greece |
Russia |
Australia |
| 2006 Cosenza Cosenza Cosenza is a city in southern Italy, located at the confluence of two historic rivers: the Busento and the Crathis. The municipal population is of around 70,000; the urban area, however, counts over 260,000 inhabitants... , Italy |
United States |
Italy |
Russia |
(Source: FINA)
US colleges and clubs
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
water polo is gaining popularity in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Though the majority of domestic club teams are based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
preparatory high schools also often field teams. Club water polo teams in the United States often compete in national championships such as Junior Olympics, National Club Championships, and the Speedo Cup. Club teams from Washington, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
were entered at the 2005 USWP Junior Olympics.
Aniko Pelle
Aniko Pelle
Anikó Pelle is an international water polo player from Hungary, who played for the University of Southern California from 1999 to 2002, and on the Hungarian National Team in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2000, Pelle received the Peter J...
(Hungary) and Sofia Konoukh (Russia) were among the first of an increasing number of international players competing in U.S. collegiate women's water polo. Because of water polo's increased popularity globally, the influence of international coaches like USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
's Jovan Vavic from the former Yugoslavia, and the perks of attending an American college, international players are attracted to the premier US colleges. The 2005 Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
women's water polo team, coached by Canadian Michel Roy, has nine international players, the most of any team in the nation.
Teams from California dominate at the collegiate level. In the United States, water polo players tend to have prestigious academic backgrounds as well. A number of players, including former USA team captain Wolf Wigo
Wolf Wigo
Wolf Wigo is a renowned American water polo player and coach. He has played competitive water polo at the national level since age 13, was a four-year All-America collegiate player and led his Stanford University team to two NCAA Championships. A member of the U.S...
, who retired after Athens 2004, Jacqueline Frank DeLuca
Jacqueline Frank DeLuca
Jacqueline Frank DeLuca is an accomplished American water polo goalkeeper, 2004 bronze medal Olympian and two-time collegiate National Player of the Year.-Early life:...
, bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
Olympic goalie, and international phenom Tony Azevedo
Tony Azevedo
Anthony Lawrence Azevedo is an American water polo player and a graduate of Stanford University. Nicknamed "The Savior" at one point, he is considered to be one of the best American water polo players in recent memory...
attended Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. The sport's most notable balancing act to date includes Omar Amr, who played on the US National Team while attending Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
and recovering from a near career ending knee injury in 2001.
College championships
In the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 2001 season. Three conferences have teams competing in women's water polo, the Collegiate Water Polo Association, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
, the UCLA women beat University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
6 to 3, for their fourth consecutive championship title. In the 2007 Men's NCAA Finals
NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 1969 season.No school from outside the state of California has ever surpassed third place...
, the UC Berkeley Golden Bears defended their 2006 title by defeating the No. 1-ranked USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
water polo men, 8-6. The most prestigious individual water polo honor, the Peter J. Cutino Award
Peter J. Cutino Award
The Peter J. Cutino Award, named after former college water polo player and UC Berkeley coach Peter J. Cutino, is considered the most prestigious individual award in American collegiate water polo...
, was established in 1999 by the San Francisco Olympic Club, and is presented annually to the top American male and female collegiate water polo player. In 2008, Tim Hutten
Tim Hutten
Tim Hutten is an American water polo player. He is a member of the United States men's national water polo team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the championship game, the USA team won the silver medal, losing to Hungary. Tim is currently waiting to score more goals in the 2012 games in...
from UC Irvine and Courtney Mathewson
Courtney Mathewson
Courtney Mathewson was born September 14, 1986. in Orange, California. She played water polo for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins during their four-consecutive NCAA National Champion Women's Water Polo championships, and was named to the All-Tournament first team...
from UCLA won the Cutinos.