JAMAICA MEN’S JUNIOR WATER POLO TEAM QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ARGENTINA

 

JUNE 20, 2005 - The Federation Internationale de Natation, FINA, has invited Jamaica’s Men’s Junior Water Polo Team to participate in the 13th FINA Men’s Junior Water Polo World Championships to be held in Mar del Plata Argentina October 7-15, 2005. Jamaica is one of Twenty four (24) teams which have qualified for the Championships.

 

The performance of Jamaica’s Junior Teams have improved rapidly over the last two (2) years and the Men’s Junior Team is currently ranked 7th in the America’s region. The team qualified for the World Championships with six (6) other teams from the America’s region. Normally only six teams from the America’s would qualify, however Jamaica qualified as a result of a vacancy in the Asia region (see attached list).

 

The Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica has set it’s sights on qualifying a Male and Female Water Polo team for the CAC Games in 2006 and the Pan American Games in 2007.  Participating in the Junior World Championships will provide Jamaica’s young players with their first taste of world class water polo, an experience that can only enhance their development.

 

The ASAJ will name the National Squad to begin preparation for the Championships shortly. Most of the players are already in training, as they a preparing for the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships (CCCAN) to be held in the Dominican Republic August 1-9, 2005. Providing the funds are available, Jamaica expects to enter two (2) male and one (1) female team in CCCAN which has become a preparation competition for the World Championships. CCCAN is the qualifying competition for the ASUA Pan Am Junior Water Polo Championships which will be held in Canada in 2006.

 

LIST OF PARTICIPATING TEAMS:

 

        AFRICA 3

            1. Egypt

            2. South Africa

            3. New Zealand
        AMERICAS 6

            1. USA

            2. Brazil

            3. Mexico

            4. Canada

            5. Colombia

            6. Venezuela
        ASIA 4

 

            1. Iran

            2. Japan

            3. Saudi Arabia

            4. Jamaica
        EUROPE 9

            1. Serbia & Montenegro

            2. Croatia

            3. Hungary

            4. Italy

            5. Greece

            6. Russia

            7. Spain

            8. Slovakia

            9. France
        OCEANIA 1

            1. Australia
        HOST

            1. Argentina