The Netherlands national team won the women’s water polo tournament at the World Olympic Qualifying Championships in Fukuoka after defeating the Spanish national team in the final on Friday.
These two teams got an Olympic share of the World Cup. In the final, the Spaniards overcame a two-goal deficit and managed to save the match for a five-meter duel in the final quarter.
In the end, the final, which was intense to the extreme, was won by the Dutch, without making a single five-meter foul, while not a single player of the opposing team made a foul.
Five-meter players decided in favor of the defending champions, the Americans, the Fukuoka WC women’s polo team finished in sixth place
The defending champions, the Americans, were less strong than the Hungarian team.
The US team, which had won the previous four World Championships and three Olympics, could only play the fifth, which it eventually won against the Hungarians, also by five metres.
The fate of the bronze medal was also sealed earlier on Friday, as the Italians managed to stand at the bottom of the podium after beating the Australians 16-14.
results:
Women’s Water Polo Championship, Final:
Netherlands-Spain 17-16 (4-3, 2-3, 3-1, 3-5 – by five meters: 5-4)
previously:
Bronze match:
Italy-Australia 16-14 (5-4, 5-6, 3-1, 3-1)
For fifth place:
USA – Hungary 15-13 (4-2, 1-3, 5-4 1-2) – by five meters
For seventh place:
Canada-Greece 14-12 (4-1, 1-4, 4-1, 1-4, 4-2) – by 5 meters
