Water Polo NSW Announces New Zealand National Teams Enter Sydney Super League Season Three

Published Mon 24 Oct 2022

Round three action of the Sydney Super League Season Three saw the men's and women's New Zealand national water polo teams play their first games in the competition.

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Sydney Super League (SSL) is the premier water polo competition in NSW, and Season Three sees our first international teams enter, along with a team from Canberra, as Water Polo NSW continues to foster talent ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on the runway to Brisbane 2032.

Expanding the SSL is a targeted initiative to test our NSW high performance and pathway athletes and provide them more time playing in a competitive environment. NSW athletes made up 85% of the Australian Men's Water Polo Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team and 54% of the Australian Women's Water Polo Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team. New Zealand Water Polo has never qualified for an Olympic Games.

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Alex Godbold, Chief Executive Water Polo NSW said 'Sydney Super League showcases NSW high performance athletes and offers our aspiring pathway athletes the chance to play and develop game tactics alongside some of Australia's best players and coaches. The competition continues to grow, with more teams and clubs striving to be involved, and now Season Three sees our first international team enter, New Zealand.'

Jan Shearer, Chief Executive New Zealand Water Polo (NZWP) explained what the involvement means for the New Zealand teams competing in Sydney Super League. 'New Zealand has been somewhat isolated from international competition for three years, the opportunity to begin the journey back to the international stage in Sydney has been welcomed. NZWP is keen to foster the trans-Tasman relationship and build strength in our teams. The athletes are relishing the chance to play against the NSW Clubs and benchmark themselves again.'

water polo nsw and new zealand water polo players