Water polo returns six months before Tokyo Olympics

January 21 ------ Six months before the Tokyo Olympics, water polo returns after almost a year bereft of international competition with eight nations battling in Trieste this week for the two remaining women's berths in Japan. Flags, anthems and matches are all behind closed doors, with social distancing and compulsory masks outside the pool in the Italian port city.

A foretaste of what possibly awaits athletes during this pandemic era at the Summer Games in Japan from July 23 to August 11. "It's strange, not even being able to give a hand check (fist to fist) with rivals at the end of the match, not seeing anybody, but that's how it is. It has become normal," Greece's Christina Tsoukala told AFP, after getting seven goals past rivals Kazakhstan. "Returning? It's hard! But we all wanted to start again after almost a year without an international match, so it's good, we're happy."

For ex-player Attila Biro, now coach of the formidable Hungarians, "it's a really strange atmosphere," with their domestic league playing in front of fans. "I've never played like this. In Hungary we played this autumn in front of fans," said Biro. "Even if it's easier for the trainers to speak with players, I prefer the noise of the crowd."

Two nations are fighting to join already qualified Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, Spain, Russia, the United States and Japan. Italy, the 2016 Rio Games runners-up, are favourites, along with Hungary, the Netherlands and Greece, in the tournament which had been scheduled for last May.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com/sports