By Editor’s Note: The end is already here for the 2021 water polo season. TWp looks back on the five biggest story lines of the year. Today we focus on what challenges from the previous year will carry on into 2022. This year will be pivotal for American water polo for
Top Five Stories from 2021: No 4—Tokyo Olympics
Editor’s Note: The end is near! 2021 is almost in the books, so TWp is looking back on the five biggest story lines of the year. Today we focus on the spectator-less 2020 Tokyo Games in and how an aging Serbian men’s team and a dominant U.S. women’s team overcame
By Pod: Three-time Olympic Champion Coach Adam Krikorian
He would never ‘fess up to it but after leading the USA women to their third consecutive gold medal (perhaps a fourth in Paris?) he can fairly be called “legendary.” He’s Adam Krikorian, one of the world’s best at his craft if the collection of hardware tells us anything. The
Pod: The “Best Center in the World,” Ben Hallock
We continue our series on the Tokyo Olympic Games with a conversation with Ben Hallock, described by at least two men – Dejan Udovicic and Alex Bowen – as the “best center in the world.” He and his USA teammates finished sixth in the tournament and he’s headed back to
Pod: Alex Bowen talks Mixed Results for USA Men in Tokyo
A continued look back at the recently completed Tokyo Olympics. Alex Bowen finished the men’s tournament as its fourth highest scorer. Team USA experienced some good results – a win over Italy perhaps the highlight – but also some less than desirable ones. Bowen helps dissect the tournament with deeper
Sixth is Better Than Tenth… But No Gold in Tokyo for US Men’s Water Polo
Prior to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, in what became a notable moment for a sport not particularly known for being notable, U.S. men’s water polo coach Dejan Udovicic made a bold prediction to ESPN: “I am guaranteeing it,” Udovicic said. “Gold medal in 2020.” He was half right. For
Pod: Tokyo Olympics Gold Medalist Alys Williams
Alys Williams was the final cut from the 2016 USA Women’s National Water Polo Team, as NBC informed us just a few times during the Tokyo Olympics. Williams recovered from that setback quite nicely and now has a heavy, shiny 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal to hang on her office
HIGHLIGHTS: South Africa No Match for USA Men’s Water Polo
The US men’s water polo team sits atop Group A with a perfect four points after two matches are done at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. That after they trounced an overmatched South African team 20-3 on Tuesday, a match in which every American field player except Alex Obert and Jessie
HIGHLIGHTS: USA Women Overcome Physical China; Men, Unconventional Japan
Adam Krikorian was becoming more agitated on the sideline at some of the decisions, or lack of, and he gained a yellow card for his efforts. – Fina.org If a 3-3 tie versus Japan in the first quarter was troublesome for the world’s best women’s water polo team, then an
HIGHLIGHTS: Dominant Win after “Lots of Nerves” for USA Women in Tokyo Opener
“There were lots and lots of nerves,” said Olympic newcomer Stephania Haralabidis after her USA Women’s National Water Polo Team set a short-lived Olympic record, defeating hosts Japan 25-4 on Saturday in their Tokyo opener. The 11-point margin of victory stood as the greatest ever in a women’s Olympic water
