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How Deep is Water Polo Pool?
Water polo is a competitive sport that requires top players to be in excellent physical condition. Water polo players are required to be proficient swimmers, as they need to swim considerable distances during a game. In addition to speed and endurance, a game of water polo requires the players to have strength, agility, and flexibility.
History Of Water Polo
Let us learn some details about the history of water polo.
- Water polo is one of the most popular sports in Australia and was a demonstration sport at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
- It has since been included as a full medal sport at all subsequent editions of the games (except the 1992 Olympics), but not since 1960.
- In 1900, the first official worldwide rules of water polo were drafted at the international YMCA conference.
- In the mid-19th century, when William Wilson created the game, the sport was more like water rugby. William Wilson was a British journalist and swimming instructor.
- The initial game has been slightly altered in today’s sport, played by professionals. Today, the water polo ball is similar to a soccer ball.
- The representatives from Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) and Great America form the International Water Polo Committee.
- Water polo was originally developed as the first team sport to demonstrate strength and swimming skills.
- Men’s water polo became a modern game as an Olympic sport in 1900.
Top Winners Of All Times
Here are some of the top winners of all time in the sport.
- Manel Estiarte Duocastella, one of the most popular and greatest polo players of all time, is presently a part of Pep Guardiola’s technical staff at Manchester City FC.
- He is usually deemed as one of the two most outstanding water poloists of all time, with a record of competing in six Olympic games.
- While Manel represented Spain, Paul Radmilovic represented Great Britain.
- Paul was the first water polo player to compete in the five Olympics (1908-1928).
- Similarly, Tony Azevedo from the US is the first-ever non-European player to have participated in five Olympics games.
Interesting facts about Water Polo
- Water Polo was originally called ‘Water Rugby’ and it used to be played in the rivers and lakes in England.
- There are many variants of Water Polo and each variant has its own set of rules and regulations.
- Prince William of the United Kingdom used to be the captain of the St Andrew’s University Water Polo Team.
- The size of the Water Polo ball is almost the same as a soccer ball or a volleyball.
- A Water Player is allowed to make three serious fouls, which are called ejections. On the 3rd ejection, the player is asked to leave the game for the rest of the game.
- In the first-ever Water Polo finals at the Olympics in 2000 in Sydney, the Australian women beat the USA Women to clinch the gold medal. Russia got the bronze medal.
- A Water Polo player swims at least one and a half miles during the entire period of the game.
- A Water Polo ball can speed up to 60 miles per hour.
- Water Polo was considered to be harmful and violent in the USA when it was first invented, but now it is a regular part of USA sports and it is a very much popular sport in the country.
- The USA has won at least a medal in each of the Women’s Water Polo competitions in the Olympics since it was introduced in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.