Bronze at World Championships for water polo players after catching up

National coach Evangelos Doudesis’ side beat Italy in Saturday’s third-place game 7-5 after leading 4-1 (1-2, 1-2, 2-0, 3-1). The Orange team had lost 13-12 against the host country, Hungary, in the semi-finals https://www.trouw.nl/sport/waterpolosters-doelen-van-hongarije-en-missen-finale-wk~b7eab156 /.

Dutch water polo players reached the World Cup final in 2015, in which they lost to the United States. Three years later, they won the European title from Barcelona. Since then, water polo players from the World Cups and European Championships have always remained outside the medals. Led by the new national coach Doudesis, the successor of Arno Havenga – who left after the disappointing Tokyo Olympics, Orange won bronze in Budapest thanks to a good catch-up race.

Consolation final

Two days after the defeat against the Hungarians, the Doudesis team took the lead in the “consolation final” via Ilse Koolhaas. Italy, however, took the initiative and continued to lead 4-1. Orange showed resilience and leveled the score again at the end of the third quarter via Sabrina van der Sloot. In the final quarter, the Dutch water polo players won bronze thanks to goals from Simone van de Kraats, Nina ten Broek and Brigitte Sleeking. Goalkeeper Laura Aarts, who conceded just one goal after the break, was chosen as the match’s best player.

The American water polo players extended their world title by defeating Hungary 9-7 in the final (2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 2-3). ‘Team USA’ has been inaccessible for years. American women have also won the 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Cups and Olympic gold in 2012, 2016 and last year in Tokyo.

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Dutch water polo players failed to reach the world championship final in Budapest, but narrowly lost to Hungary.