WATER POLO: The Australian Women’s Water Polo Team will line up today in the FINA World League Super Final in Shanghai, China, as the squad looks to fine tune preparations ahead of the Rio Olympic Games.
The top eight nations have qualified through to the World League Super Final, seven of who will also feature in the line up at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Australia is set to face Russia today in the opening preliminary round – which will also be the first nation they meet in game one in Rio.
The FINA World League Super Finals will cap off a three week training tour for the Aussie Stingers who last week finished with a silver in the Kunshan Cup against rivals USA.
With final team selection on the line, players will be pulling out all stops to sure up their spot on the 2016 Olympic Team.
Australian Women’s Water Polo Head Coach Greg McFadden said the tournament will be the last major hit out ahead of Rio.
“This is a warm up tournament for the Olympics – all countries have their focus set on Rio,” he said.
“I think Russia will go in there today and play a normal game of water polo. They won’t show too much, we won’t show too much and we’ll just see what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are leading up to Rio.
“We’ve had our ups and downs during the two-week tour so far. We are starting to get our heads in the right space.
“This is a big tournament for us, it is our last leading into Rio so we’re looking for a good result.
“A few girls have come back from injury set backs and hopefully everyone is going to be fully fit for the tournament. I’m expecting to get a good result,” said McFadden.
Australia have drawn Russia, China and Italy in their preliminary rounds, with USA, Spain, Canada and Brazil to compete in pool B for the prelims.
The Aussies will take on Russia today (Tuesday 7 June) at 7:40pm (AEST) with the games to be streamed live http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fina/
The Aussies will then take on China, Wednesday 8 June at 9:00pm (AEST) and Italy on Thursday 9 June at 6:20pm (AEST). Quarter finals commence on Friday 10 June with the final to be played on Sunday 12 June (times to come).
Water polo Australia
