Swimmer's Daily

  • Croatia reaches QF, Hungary and Spain draw in front of 5,000

    Croatia was the first team to book its spot though they almost blew their win away against the Montenegrins who came back from 10-5 to 10-10 but the Croats netted the winner 72 seconds from time. Serbia and Italy are also on its way to the best eight, while the goal-difference will decide the first place between Hungary and Spain since the two sides played a thrilling 11-11 tie in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,000 people in the Duna Arena.

    MARTIN David Coach Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Hungary (white caps) Vs. Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    3 GER VAN DER BOSCH Timo Germany Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Germany (white caps) Vs. Slovakia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    4 SVK FURMAN Adam Slovakia, 6 GER JUENGLING Maurice Germany Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Germany (white caps) Vs. Slovakia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    12 NED LUCAS Thomas Netherlands Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Russia (white caps) Vs. Netherlands (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    8 RUS NAGAEV Ivan Russia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Russia (white caps) Vs. Netherlands (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Italy Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena France (white caps) Vs. Italy (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    7 FRA CROUSILLAT Ugo France, 2 ITA DI FULVIO Francesco Italy Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena France (white caps) Vs. Italy (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    CAMPAGNA Alessandro Coach Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena France (white caps) Vs. Italy (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    1 PIJETLOVIC Gojko GK SRB Serbia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena ROU – Romania (white caps) Vs. SRB – Serbia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    2 MANDIC Dusan SRB Serbia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena ROU – Romania (white caps) Vs. SRB – Serbia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    5 BITADZE Andria GEO Georgia 8 ARGYROPOULOS S. GRE Greece Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena GRE – Greece (white caps) Vs. GEO – Georgia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    10 MAGRAKVELIDZE Giorgi GEO Georgia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena GRE – Greece (white caps) Vs. GEO – Georgia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    3 ESP GRANADOS ORTEGA Alvaro Spain, Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Hungary (white caps) Vs. Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    10 VARGA Denes Andor (C) HUN Hungary 6 LARUMBE GONFAUS Mar ESP Spain Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena HUN – Hungary (white caps) Vs. ESP – Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    2 MUNARRIZ EGAÑA Alber ESP Spain Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena HUN – Hungary (white caps) Vs. ESP – Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    5 VAMOS Marton Gyorgy HUN Hungary Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena HUN – Hungary (white caps) Vs. ESP – Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Head Coach MARTIN David ESP Spain Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena HUN – Hungary (white caps) Vs. ESP – Spain (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    11 MNE DRASKOVIC Dragan Montenegro, 9 CRO MILOS Lovre Croatia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Montenegro (white caps) Vs. Croatia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Croatia Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Montenegro (white caps) Vs. Croatia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    7 MNE VIDOVIC Stefan Montenegro Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena Montenegro (white caps) Vs. Croatia (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    9 SONMEZ Nadir Turkey, 6 ZAMMIT Matthew Malta Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena MALTA (white caps) Vs. TURKEY (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    6 GURDENLI Emre Turkey celebrates Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena MALTA (white caps) Vs. TURKEY (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Turkey celebration Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena MALTA (white caps) Vs. TURKEY (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Team Nederland Budapest 16/01/2020 Duna Arena RUSSIA (white caps) Vs. NETHERLANDS (blue caps) Men XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    Men’s preliminaries, Round 2
    Group A: Croatia v Montenegro 11-10, Germany v Slovakia 8-5
    Standings: 1. Croatia 6, 2. Montenegro 3, 3. Germany 3, 4. Slovakia 0
    Group B: Romania v Serbia 7-15, Russia v Netherlands 15-9
    Standings: 1. Serbia 6, 2. Russia 3, 3. Netherlands 3, 4. Romania 0
    Group C: Hungary v Spain 11-11, Malta v Turkey 10-13
    Standings: 1. Spain 4, 2. Hungary 4, 3. Turkey 3, 4. Malta 0
    Group D: France v Italy 7-10, Greece v Georgia 17-10
    Standings: 1. Italy 6, 2. Greece 3, 3. Georgia 3, 4. France 0

    The game of Hungary and Spain, in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,000 people, offered everything water polo is loved for: thrilling action, brilliant goals, great saves, tensions, twists and turns. Hungary got a better start and built a 4-2 lead in the first eight minutes. The Spaniards managed to tighten their defense in the second and halved their deficit while in a rare scene field-player Alberto Munarriz – as goalie Dani Lopez was sent out for not taking the requested position – saved a penalty!

    The third quarter was simply brilliant, Hungary netted three action goals and at one point they led 8-6 and had the ball after a killed man-up but from wasted pass of the hosts’ goalie the Spanish set up Felipe Perrone who scored another great goal. What’s more, Francisco Fernandez managed to find the back of the net in the very last second for 8-8.

    In the fourth Spain took the lead for the first time, and, enjoying some luck while collecting the rebound twice in man-ups, they went ahead twice more (Perrone netted his 4th). At 10-11 they even had a 6 on 5 to close down the game but a terrible pass killed their plans and later Gergo Zalanki finished a counter with 40 seconds remaining. The draw means that the total goal difference will decide the top position, a piece of bad news for Turkey and Malta as they will face the two giants seeking big wins against them in the third round.

    The late-night show of Croatia and Montenegro offered a different kind of entertainment thanks to a breathtaking comeback from Montenegro. Though the world and European bronze medallist Croats needed 6:21 minutes to score their first goal, but once they had it they started rolling while the Montenegrins were unable to put away their man-ups, missed a penalty and found themselves 6-2 down shortly before the middle break.

    The Croats maintained their lead with ease and sat comfortably in the driving seat at 10-5 with one quarter remaining. Perhaps too comfortable as with 4:19 to go the Montenegrins were already back to 8-10, then, in a span of 26 seconds they broke to even for 10-10 and there were still 2:32 minutes to play. They even had a possession to take the lead but the ball slipped out from the center-forward’s hand and at the other end Javier Garcia halted his team’s scoreless struggle of 8:45 minutes. He put away a man-up 72 seconds from time while Drasko Brugljan’s shot in a 6 on 5 was stopped by Marko Bijac at the other end and that sealed Croatia’s win, which sent them directly to the quarter-finals.

    In the other games, the third qualifying spots have probably been decided in Group A and C. Although both the Germans, against Slovakia, and Turkey, against Malta, earned a 3-goal win respectively, the difference was much bigger during the games. The Germans took a 4-1 lead and kept their safe lead until the end. It was already 8-5 after three periods, the last one didn’t see any goal only two missed penalties from the Slovaks. At one stage the Turks led 8-1 before the Maltese started climbing back but they could never come really close. Tensions ran high anyway, the referees had to show the red card five times.

    In Group B both favorite sides – Russia and Serbia – netted 15 goals while winning with ease against Romania and the Netherlands. Italy kept the game against France under control though the world champs laid back a bit in the fourth period and the French came closer than usual at 9-7 but the Italian win was never in danger. Greece bounced back from the opening day’s defeat against Italy with a fine win over Georgia.

    For more details, detailed statistics, play-by-play descriptions visit:
    http://wp2020budapest.microplustiming.com

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia

  • ‘Three months ago I switched to a vegetarian diet. I feel it partly in the gym – I have become a lot stronger, it is just personal records all the time in the gym. I feel that I have more energy, I am sleeping sleep a lot better at night, and it feels like my mood is more stable. I am inspired by, among others, Lars Frolander and Therese Alshammar, who both made changes to their diet towards the end of their careers.’

    See svt.se (in Swedish, though in the YouTube-video below with comments from Chad Le Clos and James Gibson)

     

  • Australian swimmer Mack Horton refused to stand on the podium with alleged drug cheat Sun Yang of China

  • Michael Phelps was the star of the show when Under Armour Inc. launched its new marketing campaign on Tuesday.

    Under Armour unveiled its “The only way is through” campaign with Phelps reading a letter about the grueling hours of training and practice he put in to become the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time. He then became the first athlete to participate in Under Armour’s new podcast.

    It’s fitting that Under Armour chose the iconic swimmer from Baltimore to be one of the main faces. Like Phelps, Under Armour experienced a rapid rise to national prominence. Also like Phelps, Under Armour has faced challenges.

    Read Baltimore Business Journal

  • Neanderthals could swim. Not only could they swim: They were diving possibly as much as 4 meters (13 feet) deep for live clams, in Italy at least, an international team of archaeologists reported in PLOS One on Wednesday.

    Strangely, even though the Neanderthals on the Italian coast seemed to dote on mussels, they don’t seem to have been clamming for consumption. They were using the shells of a very specific species mainly, and perhaps solely, to make scraping tools, Paola Villa of the University of Colorado Boulder and colleagues report, based on reanalysis of findings made decades ago. […]

    The assumption had been that the Neanderthals just picked up shells on the beach, as people do. And they did. But the supposition that Neanderthals just collected dead mollusks on the beach is “incomplete,” claim Villa and her colleagues. Most of their shell-tools seem to have been made using deceased gastropods washed ashore. But a fifth to a quarter of the specimens found at the cave sites of Moscerini and Cavallo seem to have been collected alive off the seafloor.

    Read Haaretz

    neanderthal photo
    Photo by Allan Henderson

  • Hear from the Blaine Bengals Swimming & Diving team. Interviews with first-year head coach, Erik Hunter, and captains Reese Wilson, Wyatt Brenny and Christopher Hess.

  • Meanwhile… When athletes arrive in Tokyo for the Summer Olympics this July, they will need to be careful to limit the number of sexual partners they invite into their cardboard beds. #Colbert #Comedy #Meanwhile

  • McDowell’s long-time swim coach has been temporarily removed from the job as the district looks into allegations of improprieties.

    Coach Dave Schultz was informed of the action after a vote was taken Monday night by the Millcreek School Board.

    JET 24/FOX 66 cannot confirm the specifics of the allegations, but the district is promising a full investigation. Sources tell us it is an inappropriate image on social media. It was an adult who alerted the district.

    Read YourErie

  • Hungary wins thriller, the Dutch shuts out Italy in the second half

    Host Hungary upended the Russians in the first really thrilling match of the women’s tournament, while Italy suffered another 6-goal defeat, this time from the Netherlands. The Dutch won the second half 4-0.

    5 SVK JUNASOVA Emma Slovakia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Greece (white caps) Vs. Slovakia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    7 GRE MYRIOKEFALITAKI Maria Greece, 3 SVK KURUCOVA Janka Slovakia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Greece (white caps) Vs. Slovakia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Serbia (white caps) Vs. Croatia (blue caps) women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    5 NED WOLVES Iris Netherlands Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Netherlands (white caps) Vs. Italy (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    13 RUS KARNAUKH Anna Russia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Hungary (white caps) Vs. Russia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    9 RUS TIMOFEEVA Anna Russia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Hungary (white caps) Vs. Russia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    4 RUS KARIMOVA Elvina Russia, 10 HUN GYONGYOSSY Aniko Hungary, 10 RUS SOBOLEVA Evgeniia Russia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Hungary (white caps) Vs. Russia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    12 DAULE Audrey FRA France 5 DEIKE Gesa (C) GER Germany Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena FRA – France (white caps) Vs. GER – Germany (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    9 STIEFEL Jennifer GER Germany Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena FRA – France (white caps) Vs. GER – Germany (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    5 JOSIFOVIC Nina CRO – Croatia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena SRB – Serbia (white caps) Vs. CRO – Croatia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    2 MILJKOVIC Emmi CRO Croatia 7 TOPIC Mia CRO Croatia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena SRB – Serbia (white caps) Vs. CRO – Croatia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Head Coach HAVENGA Arno NED – Netherlands Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena NED – Netherlands (white caps) Vs. ITA – Italy (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Pasquale Mesiano / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    Croatia Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena Serbia (white caps) Vs. Croatia (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo ©Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    9 NED KEUNING Maartje Netherlands Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena NETHERLANDS (white caps) Vs. ITALY (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    2 NED MEGENS Maud Netherlands Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena NETHERLANDS (white caps) Vs. ITALY (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    6 ITA AIELLO Rosaria Italy , 8 NED SEVENICH Vivian Netherlands Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena NETHERLANDS (white caps) Vs. ITALY (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    12 ESP LEITON ARRONES Paula Spain, 4 ISR BOGACHENKO Miriam Israel Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena SPAIN (white caps) Vs. ISRAEL (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    7 ESP ESPAR LLAQUET Clara Spain, 12 ISR REGEV May Israel Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena SPAIN (white caps) Vs. ISRAEL (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
    12 ESP LEITON ARRONES Paula Spain, 10 ISR MONE Mackenzie Israel Budapest 15/01/2020 Duna Arena SPAIN (white caps) Vs. ISRAEL (blue caps) Women XXXIV LEN European Water Polo Championships 2020 Photo © Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

    Group A: Hungary v Russia 9-8, Greece v Slovakia 18-2, Serbia v Croatia 8-9
    Standings: 1. Greece 9, 2. Hungary 9, 3. Russia 6, 4. Croatia 3, 5. Serbia 0, 6. Slovakia 0
    Group B: Netherlands v Italy 10-4, Spain v Israel 18-2, France v Germany 17-5
    Standings: 1. Netherlands 9, 2. Spain 9, 3. France 6, 4. Italy 3, 5. Israel 0, 6. France 0

    Hungary and Russia usually entangle into tremendous fights, 5 out of their last 8 encounters at the Europeans – including the last two in 2016 and 2018 – saw a single goal deciding the outcome. And it ended the same way, though at halftime the hosts seemed to have firm control as they led 6-3 while the Russians were unable to score in the second period. Rita Keszthelyi already netted three goals, the second one was his 100th alone at the Europeans. However, their rivals came back strong for the second half, Maria Bersneva broke their scoreless period of 9:29 minutes and deep into the third they equalised for 6-6.

    It was Hungary’s turn to bounce back and they just did that: Rita Keszthelyi’s brilliant lob halted their scoreless phase at 8:46 minutes and another action goal just 36 seconds later gave them an 8-6 lead before the last break. The last period saw an enormous fight, Russia pulled one back with 4:42 remaining then they missed a crucial man-up while Anna Illes put one away in the dying phase for 9-7. Olga Gorbunova’s ball just sneaked in from the post in a 6 on 5 so the Russians had 1:56 minutes to save a point but they couldn’t set up another fine shooting chance.

    In the other big game of the day Italy once again failed to be on the same level with its rival and they suffered another 6-goal defeat like against Spain. At half-time the Netherlands led 6-4 so some more excitements were in sight – instead the Dutch netted three more goals in the third to decide the outcome. Italy remained scoreless in the entire second half, altogether for 17:42 minutes. Their man-up was 2 for 4 at the beginning, but collapsed then to go 0 for 7 afterwards and they had a 14.8% shooting efficiency (4/27). At the other end Debby Willemsz posted a 71.4% saving percentage and Maud Megens scored 5 goals, one more than the entire Italian side.

    In this group Spain beat Israel with ease and France handed a 17-5 defeat to the Germans, the heaviest in the history of the two teams in 35 years.

    In Group A Greece enjoyed another easy match before taking on Hungary and Russia. In the game probably deceding the 4th place Serbia and Croatia staged a brilliant battle, sometimes recalling the tensions of the males’ big clashes. The Croats had the better start and took a 2-4 lead but the Serbs hit back with three connecting goals for 5-4. But the Croats reacted well, came back to 7-7 till the end of the third and after killing a man-down they managed to score twice for 7-9. The Serbs were unable to score for long minutes, with 1:02 to go they missed a penalty, and even though pulled one back 42 seconds from time, they created a shooting chance too late in their last possession and scored only after the buzzer. This win sets up the Croats to reach the quarters for the first time in their history.

    For more details, detailed statistics, play-by-play descriptions visit:
    http://wp2020budapest.microplustiming.com

    Press release from LEN, images courtesy of Deepbluemedia