The European Women’s and Men’s Water Polo Championships will start tomorrow (Thursday) in the Netherlands and Croatia, with the participation of the Israeli national teams. The championship, which was supposed to take place at the Wingate Institute, was moved from Israel following the war and split into two countries. The women’s championship will be held in the Netherlands (Eindhoven) and the men’s championship in Croatia (Zagreb and Dubrovnik). The Israeli national teams will open their performance on Friday.
For the Israeli women’s team, this will be their fourth appearance in a row in the continental championship, after finishing in sixth place in the previous championship. For the men’s team it will be the second appearance in a row and in history. The championship will last about two weeks, all the games of the Israeli national teams will be broadcast on the Sports Channel. The Israeli national teams will open their performance on Friday.
According to the method of the games, there are two “strong” houses in which there are eight first-ranked from the last European Championship, and two more houses in which there are the 9-16 ranked on the continent. The women’s team will play at home early against Italy on Friday (4:00 p.m., Israel time), then against Spain on Saturday (9:30 p.m.) and Israel and France on Sunday (4:30 p.m.).
Der Mankerman in the uniform of the Israeli water polo team at the European Championships (archive photo: Gilad Kvalarchik, courtesy of the Water Polo Association)
The Israeli men’s team, which was drawn to one of the houses of the 9-16 ranks, will play against Serbia on Friday (6:00 p.m.), Germany on Sunday, 6:00 p.m. and Malta (Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.). At the end of the group stage, crossover games will be held which will decide the ones who advance to the quarter finals (the first two from each of the strongest groups will automatically qualify for the quarter stage).
The women’s team squad: Shonit Strogo (captain), Michal Katz, Alma Jacobi, Yahav Parkash, Maria Bogachenko, Veronika Kordonskaya, Hila Futorian, Lior Ben David, Dina Namashtansky, Noa Sasover, Nofer Hochberg, Tahel Levy, Roni Kkozin, Dr. Mankerman, Nega Levinstein. Coach: Dimitris Mabrotas, assistant coach: Sotiris Zompoulias, team manager: Merav Oleinik.
The men’s team squad: Ido Goldschmidt (captain), Yahav Pierre, Max Smirnov, Dor Kotter, Uri Bozaglo, Yoav Randler, Roni Gross, Or Shlain, Yuval Klerfeld, Kai Halevi, Valed Begin, Tam Grundland, Itai Roth, Tal Putin, Ili Ben Gal Coach: Tal Grodman, assistant coach: Rotem Zuckerman, team manager: Liza Nahari.
Israel’s men’s water polo team celebrate their qualification for the European Championships (Photo: Gilad Kvalarchik)
Union chairperson Revital Gluska Cohen: “After the disappointment that the championship will not be held in Israel, we are going out with our women’s and men’s teams to compete in the continental championship. Both national teams underwent proper preparation with training camps abroad, and we all hope to see Israeli water polo continue to progress in the upcoming championships as well. The goal is to qualify once more for the women’s world championship, and finish in the top 12 in the men’s. We will do everything to raise a little smile during this difficult time. go go Israel”.
