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• Personalities
• 03 / 17 / 2010

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In every sport the pursuit of excellence keep in with the concentration of quality, especially in collective disciplines where, in addition to the natural conditions of the athletes, technical-tactical systems and the skill of the trainers to move their pieces join together.

The latest performances of the Cuban women’s water pole team in the international arena, besides their little competition, beared witness of a rise in the matter of level, reflected on the results: bronze in the 2007 Rio de Janeiro Pan Am Games and ninth place in the 2008 Olympic Qualifier, where the world’s creme de la creme attended.

With that incentive and focused on the need to raise their internal level, the local representatives developed the 1st Inter Clubs Cup with the presence of the top 40 players grouped in four teams.

The swimming pool of the Provincial ESPA (Higher Schools for Athletic Improvement) of Santa Clara, headquarters of the women’s water pole, and with the support of the Faculty of Physical Culture, hosted the competition, where the team showed its class and finished unbeaten by defeating (14-11) the hosts and seventeen time Cuban national champions in the decisive game. The champions’ domination was so great that they scored 63 times and only allowed 19.  

Among the winners, veteran hole-woman Olga Soler, scoring co-leader of the qualifying stage with 13 goals, showed her skill with five goals, emulated by young star Lisbet Santana.

Meanwhile, Holguin beat combative Santiago de Cuba 9-8 in the bronze medal game, led by Mariyanis Herrera, who scored 8 goals.

Also commendable were the performances of Hirovis Hernandez, in the control and distribution of the ball, and of goalkeeper Mairelis Zunzuneguis, the best of Cuba in her position according to a recent ranking list of the Cuban Women’s Water Polo National Training Center, which seeks to evaluate and to foster the performance and specialization of the athletes.

Eduardo Medina, National Commissioner of the discipline, praised the high technical level of the competition, taking into account the variety of offensive combinations, the playing proposals shown by the teams and the class of the players attending.

Francisco Trueba, head coach of the elite squad, highlighted the current good health of the national team, which combines both youth and experience, with an average age of 22 years and the highest height in history (1.76 meters).

The tight calendar of the female water polo players has its main international participation from June 28 through July 2 at the Inter Caribbean Islands event, where the four aquatic disciplines take part. In the case of water polo, it will be very beneficial, because it is likely that Cuba can register three teams: U15, U17 and a senior squad (18 and older).

The immediate event for the men is the “Marcelo Salado” Cup, scheduled from March 28 through April 2, at its usual venue of the Baragua Swimming Pool Complex, east of the capital, followed by the 5th Cuban Sports Olympiads in May and the aforementioned Inter-Island tournament.

Despite the obstacles and with a marked dose of self-will, water pole family swims, attacks and scores in the pursuit of solutions, many times against the stream.

Source: Cubasi