OLYMPIC PREVIEW: WATER POLO
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DOMINANCE AND PARITY ON DISPLAY IN TOKYO
he U.S. women’s water polo team the most of it if you get the chance to enters the 2021 Tokyo Olympics play. We are preparing with computers, as the defending champion with a lot but not feeling those emotions. We are to prove. training six to seven hours a day six In 2016 at Rio, the United States days a week. Then we do recovery became the first country to win backwork and video work.” to-back gold medals. Since women’s *** water polo became an Olympic sport Meanwhile, Serbia is the defending in 2000, Team USA is also the only men’s Olympic champion, defeating country to medal in each Olympiad. Croatia 11-7 in the 2016 gold medal As they prepare for an match. Italy defeated Montenegro 12unprecedented third straight title, their While the U.S. women have dominated 10 to earn the bronze. success has allowed the sport to grow international water polo since 2015—winning Croatia won the 2017 Worlds, as well. their second straight Olympics in 2016 plus defeating Hungary 8-6 in the final, “It is important for us to make while Serbia defeated Greece 11-8 three World Championships in 2015-17-19—a the game better,” believes U.S. team for bronze. Italy won in 2019, topping captain Maggie Steffens. “We want different men’s champion has emerged at Spain 10-5, while Croatia defeated to build up women’s water polo into each of the last three major international Hungary 10-7 to finish third. something girls want to play. We want competitions—Serbia (2016 Olympics), Croatia As for the United States, the men’s people to be a part of the sport. How team qualified for the knockout stage can we propel the sport forward? (2017 Worlds) and Italy (2019 Worlds). in 2019 after going 2-1 in the group Hopefully, we can keep passing the BY DAN D’ADDONA stage, but lost 11-9 to Greece. At Rio, torch forward.” the Americans went 2-3 in the group The U.S. defeated Italy 12-5 in stage and did not advance to the the final in 2016 in Rio to claim quarterfinals in Rio—something they gold. Russia won the bronze. The U.S. also won the 2019 World hope to change this year. Championships with an 11-6 win over Spain in the final. “Us playing abroad has been a huge opportunity,” says U.S. The preparation for this year’s Olympics have been completely player Alex Bowen. “We have 11 players in Greece playing different with the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the Games and professionally. We are able to keep some amount of team cohesion. limiting international competition the past year. We are able to see high-level players by playing in the Champions “It has been difficult to scout opponents,” shares U.S. goalie League. We really get to see some of these players at their best, so Ashleigh Johnson. “We have been trying to visualize our opponents we know what to expect from them.” more and working on it that way. From the video that we have and Having players in the Champions League means there are more what are seeing, we are doing a lot to prepare ourselves. Once we players playing at a professional level on the U.S. roster than in get there, we will be ready. We are gearing up.” years past. The change in training and mindset has been different, but it has “Usually, the national team is split between the U.S. and Europe, still led to improvements. and this time there are more in Europe, and we have had some group “How lucky I am to get to practice against Ashleigh Johnson training out there,” says U.S. player Ben Hallock. “It is going to be every day,” says Steffens. “That will help us get better and improve. a very difficult challenge. There is a reason why a lot of this team is Preparation does really build confidence. But it is definitely tough in Europe. This is a huge confidence boost for everyone.” not to play games. It gives you a perspective and gratitude to make > PICTURED ABOVE Maggie Steffens, team captain of the USA women’s water polo team, has won gold medals at the last two Olympics and last three World Championships. The 27-year-old ranks second all-time in Olympic scoring with 38 goals. [PHOTO BY JARED GRAY, USA WATER POLO] JUNE 2021
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