The team of Hungary won the 2016 FINA Men’s Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament, after beating Italy in the decisive match of the event by 10-8. In the competition held in Triste (ITA) from April 3-10, the bronze medal went to Spain after a comfortable victory over France by 16-4. All these four teams had assured the presence in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Friday, following their triumphs in the quarter-final round.
The Magyar team controlled the last game of the tournament in the third period, when the 3-1 partial was decisive to get a 9-6 advantage before the final quarter. Denes Varga (HUN) made the 10-6 in the beginning of the period, and despite two consecutive goals from the Italians, the fate of the match was sealed.
The bronze medal game was an easy encounter for the Spanish side, already leading by 9-3 at half-time. France was visibly tired after a week which saw the qualification of its team for the Olympics, a notable feat after a 24-year absence from the Games’ tournament.
In the remaining two matches of the final day in Trieste, the Netherlands got a tangential victory over Canada by 9-8, thus getting the fifth place, while Romania beat Germany by 10-9 for the seventh spot of the event.
The last four teams of the tournament – who did not qualify for the quarter-finals – were Russia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and South Africa.
Before the qualification of the first four ranked teams in Trieste, eight squads had already assured the presence in the 2016 Olympic Games: Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Greece, Japan, Montenegro, Serbia and USA.
Final ranking of the FINA Men’s Water Polo Olympic Games Qualification Tournament:
1. Hungary; 2. Italy; 3. Spain; 4. France; 5. Netherlands; 6. Canada; 7. Romania; 8. Germany; 9. Russia; 10. Kazakhstan; 11. Slovakia; 12. South Africa.
Swimming news courtesy of FINA.
