Sunday kicks off the water polo tournament at the World Olympic Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, women’s jumping on day one, and Team Attila Peru kick off right away with a group stage against Canada.
It can practically be said that the winner of this match will go directly to the quarter-finals as the group leader – and thus get the extra rest -, as the other opponents, the hosts from Japan and the New Zealand national team, represent a much lower level.
The Hungarian and Canadian national teams met during the preparation for the World Cup, a month ago in Montreal, the Hungarians won easily, 13-7, even without captain Rita Kechteli, who was absent due to a state exam. Since 1986, the Hungarian national team has met the Canadians only three times at the World Cup, winning seven out of 12 matches and losing five times, perhaps the most painful of which was the quarter-finals of the 2017 World Cup, when the overseas team. The team won on Margaret Island.
It is interesting that in 2001, in Fukuoka, where the Hungarian national team finally won a silver medal, they also played their first match against Canada, which they won 5-4.
Video: Due to lack of accreditation, the women’s polo team coming to the World Cup warmed up on concrete in front of the pool
“It doesn’t matter if you’re on the national team — if you don’t have time to get your credits after you get to town, you won’t be allowed to train.”
The Hungarian women’s water polo team has been on the podium five times in the 15 world championships held so far, winning gold twice (1994, 2005), silver twice (2001, 2022) and bronze once (2013). The team has reached the top four in the last two World Cups, but only once out of five attempts between 2009 and 2017.
Two of the team that won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics would instantly make history.
Federal captain Attila Biro will lead the national team to their fourth World Cup finals, which will make him the only record holder among women’s managers (Gyula Toth, Tamas Farago and Andras Mérez have all been captains at the World Cup three times).
The summary of the Hungarian Confederation reveals that Rita Kešetelli will be the first Hungarian player to appear in the World Cup for the eighth time. So far, Stieber has been the leader of the list tied with Mercedes and Orsolya Takács. Kichteli, who has already played in the 2009 World Cup in Rome, can pass two notable milestones in Fukuoka: he will certainly claim his 325th national team cap (currently at 321) – second only to Stieber (380) – and potentially score his 700th goal – currently at 687 – in the national team.
M4 Sport will broadcast the group match between Hungary and Canada live from 1:30pm Hungarian time on Sunday.
Detailed program of the Fukuoka World Aquatic Championships according to Hungarian time
Here is the detailed program for the World Aquatics Championships, which start on Friday according to Hungarian time.
Cover Photo:
Hungarian water polo team (Photo: MTI/EPA/EFE/Ramon De La Rocha)
