The draws for the 2020 Olympic water polo qualification tournaments have been released, with the mens and women’s teams will be looking to secure a place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The mens team will be playing in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from March 29-April 5, and the women’s team will play in Trieste, Italy, from March 8-15.
Greece’s men’s waterpolo team have been drawn in Group A and are set to face Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Montenegro, and a team from Asia (TBA). Croatia look to top the mens Group B, with Group B featuring the Netherlands (host), Argentina, Croatia, Germany, Russia, and another Asian team (TBA).
The men’s qualification tournament will see three teams qualify for the 2020 Olympic tournament. Originally set to be four teams, the qualified teams were reduced due to South Africa being gifted an Olympic berth in the men’s event.
Croatia and Greece remain favourites to qualify for the Olympics, with the third spot set to be contested between Russia, Canada and Montenegro.
The men’s national waterpolo team will look to bring their Olympic qualification streak up to 11, having qualified for every Olympics since 1980.
The women’s waterpolo team have been drawn into Group B with Hungary, Israel, New Zealand, and a team from Asia (TBA), with Group A featuring host Italy, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and another team from Asia (TBA).
Similar to the men’s qualification, the tournament will see two teams qualify for the Olympics, with the third spot being taken up by a weaker South Africa team, under much controversy.
The Greek women will be aiming to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 2008, after missing out in 2012 (despite being the reigning world champion), and in 2016 (losing on penalties to eventual bronze medalist Russia in the qualification tournament).
