Reigning champion Spain will again have some of its senior team in its ranks as it attempts to go back to back and try to gain a third title after the first in 2011.

Spain is pitted against 1995 winner Netherlands, 1997 winner Greece and Brazil in its group. Spain was an emphatic 10-5 victory over Greece in the 2021 gold-medal final in Netanya, Israel with captain Camus drilling three goals and youthful Olympian Ruiz two.

Teams who were in Netanya in 2021 who are not in Coimbra include Russia, Serbia, Argentina, Germany, Uzbekistan, Slovakia and Peru, possibly showing the depth of junior women’s water polo. This allows for India and Chile to make their debuts at this level.

This year’s tournament follows the same process of finding quarter-finalists as the junior men’s tournament with a star-studded Group A and B with groups C to F having to work harder to gain all-important quarterfinal berths.

Five-time finalist Australia — winner in 1999 and 2007 — finds itself in the second bottom half of the groupings as it could not make 2021 because of Australia’s international border closure due to Covid-19.

How They Face Up

Group A: Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Brazil.

Spain brings a strong group of youngsters to defend the crown, including Elena Ruiz and fellow senior internationals Paula Prats and Christina Nogue, while it was fifth in 2019 — also in Portugal, at Funchal — fourth in 2017 and  consecutive silvers in 2015 and 2013. A bronze was earned in Calgary, Canada in 2003. To have Greece in the same group is tough considering their final clash in 2021. Greece also won silver in 2017 and bronze in 2013. Its sole victory was over Australia in 1997. Fronting from Fukuoka are Christina Siouti and Foteini Tricha.

Netherlands is a four-time medallist with gold in the inaugural event in 1995 and it contains several members who won gold in Fukuoka last month at the World Aquatics Championships — Lola Moolhuijzen and Noa de Vries. The Dutch lost the 2009 final to Russia, beat Spain for the bronze in 2017 and lost to Russia in the 2019 gold-medal final. Brazil finds itself in a stunning group. It was ninth at the last edition and its best performance was sixth in 1995 in 13 appearances.

Group B: United States of America, Italy, Israel, Hungary.

Hungary, as the bronze medallist in 2021 when it beat Italy 12-10 with a 4-2 final quarter, has the bragging rights, although these teams are evenly matched on a good day. Hungary, however, has had the better of the medals, with two silvers and four bronzes to Italy’s lone bronze from 2019, when it beat Greece. Hungary has the brilliant Kata Hajdu from Fukuoka and Italy Dafne Bettini and Sofia Giustini.

United States of America is the only four-time winner and has eight medals with one silver and three bronzes. Its victories came in 2013 and 2015 and 2001 and 2005. Its last showing was 2019 when it finished sixth. Expect Emily Ausmus to perform highly here after her successful world championship debut in Fukuoka while Jenna Flynn will provide plenty of punch. Israel rounds out the group, looking to build on its seventh placing in 2021 and emulate the recent performances of the senior team, which played brilliantly at the World Cup and World Championships this year. Noa Sasover, Dina Namakshtansky and Tahei Levi played in Fukuoka.

Group C: South Africa, New Zealand, Portugal.

South Africa was 14th and 12th at the last two championships with a best showing of 10th in 1999. Derryn Wedderburn and Tumi Macdonell played in Fukuoka. New Zealand could not travel due to the pandemic in 2021 and was 14th in 2019. It will be hoping to be near the country’s best of sixth in 2001. Portugal, as host for the third time, will be looking for a good performance and try not to finish in bottom position as it did on the two previous occasions.

Group D: France, Canada, Chile.

Canada has the credentials to win the group, having made three finals, winning in 2003, at home in Calgary. It lost the 2009 and 2017 finals to neighbour USA in its only trips to the dais. Serena Browne is a bright hope for Canada and played brilliantly as the youngest member of the team in Fukuoka. France was 11th in 2021 — defeating Germany — to go with 13th in 2003 and 11th in 1999. Ema Vernoux and Juliette Dhalluin were in Fukuoka and will make waves here. Chile is debuting and will find out what it is like on the big stage.

Group E: Croatia, Japan.

With China withdrawing, the group is a two-horse race with Japan 13th in 2019 and Croatia 16th in 2017. Japan was 11th in 2007 and 2015 and has the high-scoring Momo Inoue from the Fukuoka tournament.

Group F: Australia, India, Kazakhstan.

Australia is the second most successful medal-winner behind USA with seven gongs — two gold, three silver and two bronzes. The last edition was the only time Australia has missed the event, so will be out to prove its mettle and improve on 2019’s ninth position. Sienna Green has senior international experience. Kazakhstan also passed on 2021, finishing  15th in 2019. Its best was seventh in the eight-team 1995 event. Olga Vorontsova, Darya Pochinok, Viktoriya Kaplun and Anastassiya Glukhova were all in Fukuoka. India fronts this tournament for the first time and becomes only the second Indian women’s team at a World Aquatics event after the youth team contested the 2012 event in Perth, Australia.

Day 1 Schedule

09:00, France v Chile
10:30, Croatia v Japan
12:00, Australia v Kazakhstan
13:30, Netherlands v Greece
15:30, United States of America v Israel
17:00, Spain v Brazil
18:30, Italy v Hungary
19:45, South Africa v Portugal

2021 Final Rankings

  1. Spain
  2. Greece
  3. Hungary
  4. Italy
  5. Russia
  6. Netherlands
  7. Israel
  8. Serbia
  9. Brazil
  10. Argentina
  11. France
  12. Germany
  13. Uzbekistan
  14. South Africa
  15. Slovakia
  16. Peru