Ten years after the team that won the junior world title in 2011, Spain once again has another generation of golden girls in women’s water polo. A decade later, not only the absolute is consolidated as a power, with two Olympic runner-ups, one title and two other world silver titles and two European golds and one bronze in the last ten years, but also the future that is in sight seems, to say the least, promising.
Spain has been proclaimed this Saturday in Netanya (Israel) junior world champion. The second title in the category, the one that once again puts the youth team at the forefront of a team that continues to maintain its essence but is renewed over the years. Generational changeover that also looks promising with girls from a selection of Jordi Valls that has passed over Greece on the World Cup final and, with a blunt 5-10, has conquered another universal gold.
A absolutely spectacular first quarterr of the Spanish team, with a partial 1-5, has launched a team that has believed from the beginning and to the end in its possibilities towards the gold. The national defense deserves a special mention in the final this Saturday, with only one goal conceded in the first half that they dominated 1-6.
Since then, it has been enough to control the rhythm of the game in the second half to walk steadily towards an unquestionable gold. Ariadna Ruiz and Paula Camus, each of them with three goals, and the already Olympic runner-up with the absolute Elena Ruiz, with two, they have led the Spanish team.
Because the first quarter has been an absolute display of the Spanish team. Elena Ruiz, from a penalty, ahead of the Valls team in the opening bars, but a good inside ball for Myriokefalitaki on the buoy, after forcing this an expulsion, he put the 1-1 midway through the first quarter. Of course, the Spanish domain did not take long to become apparent: Ariadna ruiz with two strokes from the outside, Elena Camarena with a petroleum jelly from the left side and Paula Camus after completing a counter they put a clear 1-5 at the end of the first quarter.
The pace was lowered in the second set, but not only for Spain. With a powerful defense, the Spaniards dried up the Hellenic attacks, with Martina Terré, MVP of the match and of the championship, also being noticed under sticks. Gisel • la Farré from the right he scored 1-6 in the opening bars and, despite the fact that Spain also suffered in attack, the scoreboard was no longer moving before the break.
Greece reacted from the beginning in the third quarter with so many rapid Tricha and of Ninou, but Spain immediately stifled any attempt at reaction after finding on the buoy a Paula Camus who did a particular double in this room. Kontoni Penalty scored the fourth goal for the Greeks, Ariadna ruiz shortly after from the right side he put a resounding 4-9 with which he reached the last quarter.
Gold seemed close and, indeed, Spain did not slow down on defense to make it difficult again and again for Greece’s attacks. The Hellenas tried to climb backwards, but they did not prevent a shot from afar from Elena Ruiz widen differences. No reaction time Kanetidou scored a Vaseline from the right side, but there was no time for more. The final 5-10 raised once again the Spanish women’s water polo, which once again touches the sky with another golden generation.
Match sheet
5-Greece: Aikaterini Zafeiraki (p), Foteini Tricha (1), Eleftheria Fountotou, Christina Siouti, Eleni Kanetidou (1), Athina Dimitra Giannopoulou, Eirini Ninou (1), Maria Myriokefalitaki (1), Effrsyni Katsimpri, I Margarita Bitsakoulia Konoulia 1), Sofia Tornarou and Evangelia Karytsa (ps)
10-Spain: Elia Jiménez (ps), Martina Cardona, Lucía de la Puente, Ariadna Ruiz (3), Cristina Nogué, Nona Pérez, Gisel • la Farré (1), Paula Prats, Elena Camarena (1), Paula Camus (3), Elena Ruiz (2), María Palacio and Martina Terré (p)
Partial: 1-5, 0-1, 3-3 and 1-1
Incidents: Junior World Championship Final in Netanya (Israel)