Water polo at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Water polo
at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad
Water polo pictogram for the 2024 Summer Olympics
VenueParis Aquatic Centre (prelims phase)
Paris La Défense Arena (final phase)
Dates27 July – 11 August 2024
No. of events2 (1 men, 1 women)
Competitors286 from 15 nations
← 2020
2028 →

The water polo tournaments at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were held from 27 July to 11 August.[1][2] Preliminary water polo matches occurred at Paris Aquatic Centre, with the final playoffs staged at the iconic Paris La Défense Arena. Similar to the previous edition, twenty-two teams (twelve for men and ten for women) competed against each other in their respective tournaments.[3][4]

Qualification

The International Olympic Committee and World Aquatics (AQUA) had ratified and released the qualification criteria for Paris 2024. The host nation France reserved a direct quota place each in the men's and women's tournament with the remainder of the total quota attributed to the eligible NOCs through a tripartite qualification pathway.[4][5]

The 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, produced the winners and runners-up of the men's and women's water polo tournament, qualifying for Paris 2024. Five further quota places were awarded to the highest-ranked eligible NOC at each of the continental meets (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania) approved by World Aquatics. If any of the continental meets did not occur within the qualifying period, the vacant spot was entitled to the highest-ranked eligible NOC from a respective continent at the succeeding edition of the Worlds.[4]

To complete the water polo roster for the Games, the final batch of quota places were assigned to the four highest-ranked eligible NOCs for men and two for women at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.[3][4][6]

Qualification summary

Nation Men's Women's Athletes
 Australia Yes Yes 26
 Canada Yes 13
 China Yes 13
 Croatia Yes 13
 France Yes Yes 26
 Greece Yes Yes 26
 Hungary Yes Yes 26
 Italy Yes Yes 26
 Japan Yes 13
 Montenegro Yes 13
 Netherlands Yes 13
 Romania Yes 13
 Serbia Yes 13
 Spain Yes Yes 26
 United States Yes Yes 26
Total: 15 NOCs 156 130 286

Men's qualification

Qualification Date Host Berths Qualified team
Host country 1  France
2023 World Aquatics Championships 17–29 July 2023 Japan Fukuoka 2  Hungary
 Greece
2022 Asian Games 2–7 October 2023 China Hangzhou 1  Japan
2023 Pan American Games 30 October – 4 November 2023 Chile Santiago 1  United States
2024 European Championships 4–16 January 2024 Croatia Dubrovnik/Zagreb 1  Spain
2024 World Aquatics Championships 5–17 February 2024 Qatar Doha 4  Croatia
 Italy
 Serbia
 Montenegro
2024 World Aquatics Championships – Africa 1  South Africa
2024 World Aquatics Championships – Oceania 1  Australia
2024 World Aquatics Championships – Reallocation 1  Romania[a]
Total 12
  1. ^ South Africa withdrew from the tournament after the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Romania, as the best non-qualified team, took their spot.[7]

Women's qualification

Qualification Date Host Berths Qualified team
Host country 1  France
2023 World Aquatics Championships 16–28 July 2023 Japan Fukuoka 2  Netherlands
 Spain
2023 Oceanian Qualifier Series 11–12 August 2023 New Zealand Auckland 1  Australia
2022 Asian Games 25 September – 1 October 2023 China Hangzhou 1  China
2023 Pan American Games 30 October – 4 November 2023 Chile Santiago 1  United States
2024 European Championships 5–13 January 2024 Netherlands Eindhoven 1  Greece
2024 World Aquatics Championships 4–16 February 2024 Qatar Doha 2  Hungary
 Italy
2024 World Aquatics Championships – Africa 1  South Africa
2024 World Aquatics Championships – Reallocation 1  Canada[a]
Total 10
  1. ^ South Africa withdrew from the tournament after the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Canada, as the best non-qualified team, took their spot.[8]

Medal summary

Medal table

  *   Host nation (France)

RankNOCGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Serbia1001
 Spain1001
3 Australia0101
 Croatia0101
5 Netherlands0011
 United States0011
Totals (6 entries)2226
Paris La Défense Arena during the water polo competitions

Medalists

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Men's tournament
details
 Serbia
Radoslav Filipović
Dušan Mandić
Strahinja Rašović
Sava Ranđelović
Miloš Ćuk
Nikola Dedović
Radomir Drašović
Nikola Jakšić
Nemanja Ubović
Nemanja Vico
Petar Jakšić
Viktor Rašović
Vladimir Mišović
 Croatia
Marko Bijač
Rino Burić
Loren Fatović
Luka Lončar
Maro Joković
Luka Bukić
Ante Vukičević
Marko Žuvela
Jerko Marinić Kragić
Josip Vrlić
Matias Biljaka
Konstantin Kharkov
Toni Popadić
 United States
Alex Bowen
Luca Cupido
Hannes Daube
Chase Dodd
Ryder Dodd
Ben Hallock
Drew Holland
Johnny Hooper
Max Irving
Alex Obert
Marko Vavic
Adrian Weinberg
Dylan Woodhead
Women's tournament
details
 Spain
Paula Camus
Paula Crespí
Anni Espar
Laura Ester
Judith Forca
Maica García Godoy
Paula Leitón
Beatriz Ortiz
Pili Peña
Nona Pérez
Isabel Piralkova
Elena Ruiz
Martina Terré
 Australia
Abby Andrews
Charlize Andrews
Zoe Arancini
Elle Armit
Keesja Gofers
Sienna Green
Bronte Halligan
Sienna Hearn
Danijela Jackovich
Matilda Kearns
Genevieve Longman
Gabriella Palm
Alice Williams
 Netherlands
Laura Aarts
Sarah Buis
Kitty-Lynn Joustra
Maartje Keuning
Lola Moolhuijzen
Bente Rogge
Lieke Rogge
Vivian Sevenich
Brigitte Sleeking
Nina ten Broek
Simone van de Kraats
Sabrina van der Sloot
Iris Wolves

Men's tournament

Preliminary round

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Greece 5 3 1 0 1 61 52 +9 11[a] Quarterfinals
2  Italy 5 3 1 0 1 60 43 +17 11[a]
3  United States 5 3 0 0 2 59 51 +8 9[b]
4  Croatia 5 3 0 0 2 58 57 +1 9[b]
5  Montenegro 5 1 0 2 2 45 50 −5 5
6  Romania 5 0 0 0 5 37 67 −30 0
Source: Olympics
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Greece 9–8 Italy
  2. ^ a b Croatia 11–14 United States

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 5 5 0 0 0 67 39 +28 15 Quarterfinals
2  Australia 5 3 0 0 2 44 42 +2 9[a]
3  Hungary 5 3 0 0 2 62 54 +8 9[a]
4  Serbia 5 2 0 0 3 58 63 −5 6
5  France (H) 5 1 0 0 4 50 60 −10 3
6  Japan 5 1 0 0 4 60 83 −23 3
Source: Olympics
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Australia 9–8 Hungary

Knockout stage

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsGold medal
 
          
 
7 August
 
 
 Greece11
 
9 August
 
 Serbia12
 
 Serbia10
 
7 August
 
 United States6
 
 United States (PSO)7 (4)
 
11 August
 
 Australia7 (3)
 
 Serbia13
 
7 August
 
 Croatia11
 
 Italy9 (1)
 
9 August
 
 Hungary (PSO)9 (3)
 
 Hungary8
 
7 August
 
 Croatia9 Bronze medal
 
 Croatia10
 
11 August
 
 Spain8
 
 United States (PSO)8 (3)
 
 
 Hungary8 (0)
 

Final standings

Rank Team[9]
 Serbia
 Croatia
 United States
4  Hungary
5  Greece
6  Spain
7  Italy
8  Australia
9  Montenegro
10  France
11  Japan
12  Romania

Women's tournament

Preliminary round

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Australia 4 2 2 0 0 33 28 +5 10[a] Quarterfinals
2  Netherlands 4 3 0 1 0 52 37 +15 10[a]
3  Hungary 4 2 0 1 1 46 37 +9 7
4  Canada 4 1 0 0 3 37 49 −12 3
5  China 4 0 0 0 4 34 51 −17 0
Source: Olympics
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Netherlands 14–15 Australia

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 4 4 0 0 0 51 36 +15 12 Quarterfinals
2  United States 4 3 0 0 1 53 27 +26 9
3  Italy 4 1 0 0 3 34 40 −6 3[a]
4  Greece 4 1 0 0 3 33 41 −8 3[a]
5  France (H) 4 1 0 0 3 24 51 −27 3[a]
Source: Olympics
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Greece 3 Pts, +3 GD; Italy 3 Pts, +3 GD; France 3 Pts, −6 GD. Italy ranked above Greece due to more goals scored.

Knockout stage

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsGold medal
 
          
 
6 August
 
 
 Australia9
 
8 August
 
 Greece6
 
 Australia (PSO)8 (6)
 
6 August
 
 United States8 (5)
 
 Hungary4
 
10 August
 
 United States5
 
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Australia9
 
6 August
 
1st place, gold medalist(s) Spain11
 
 Netherlands11
 
8 August
 
 Italy8
 
 Netherlands14 (4)
 
6 August
 
 Spain (PSO)14 (5) Bronze medal
 
 Canada8
 
10 August
 
 Spain18
 
 United States10
 
 
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Netherlands11
 

Final standings

Rank Team[10]
 Spain
 Australia
 Netherlands
4  United States
5  Hungary
6  Italy
7  Greece
8  Canada
9  France
10  China

See also

References

  1. ^ "Paris 2024 – Water Polo". Paris 2024. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  2. ^ Iannaconi, Emily (29 August 2022). "Water polo at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Paris 2024 – Water Polo Info". World Aquatics. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d Depasse, Guillaume (2 November 2022). "How to qualify for water polo at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. ^ "FINA rebrands as World Aquatics ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics". ESPN. 12 December 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Qualification System – Games of the XXXIII Olympiad – Water Polo" (PDF). World Aquatics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Vis la Paris – Uluitor cum au primit tricolorii vestea că vor juca la Jocurile Olimpice! Prioteasa: "N-am știut nimic"". eurosport.ro. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  8. ^ "In last-second reversal, Canada's women's water polo team qualifies for Olympics". cbc.ca. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Final Standing" (PDF). Olympics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Final Standing" (PDF). Olympics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.