Dubai: Men’s waterpolo at the 9th Asian Swimming Championships is sure to produce an intriguing battle between the continent’s top sides, with Asian Games champions, Kazakhstan, the favourites to take the title.
Sport | Other Sports
Kazakhstan favourites for men’s waterpolo crown
Experience of keeper Nikolai Maximov tipped to shine through
- Staff Report
- Published: 15:20 November 13, 2012
- Image Credit: Courtesy DSC
- The men’s water polo competition at the 9th Asian Swimming Championships is sure to produce an intriguing battle between the continent’s top sides, with Asian Games champions, Kazakhstan, the favourites to take the title.
The team’s stiffest competition at this event is likely to come from the Chinese. The two sides met in the final of the 2010 Asian Games, with Kazakhstan just edging ahead with a 7-6 win. Japan took the bronze medal on that occasion and will also be looking for a good showing at these Championships.
One of the men with the most experience on the Kazakhstan team is goalkeeper Nikolai Maximov. The 39-year-old was part of the Russian team that took Olympic silver in 2000, just missing out to Hungary, and bronze in 2004, before representing Kazakhstan at the 2012 Olympic Games. He’ll be hoping his experience can guide his team to gold in Dubai.
“Waterpolo is such an exciting, action-packed sport and we have no doubt the crowd will have plenty to cheer about at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Sports Complex with some incredible skill on display,” said Dr Ahmad Al Sharif, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Organising Committee.
President of UAE Swimming Federation Ahmad Al Falasi added: “We are looking forward to seeing some great battles in the pool when the water polo competition takes place from November 19-25 and we encourage the Dubai public to come along to enjoy all the action.”
The 9th Asian Swimming Championships will run from November 15- 25. The swimming and synchronised swimming competitions will kick off the Championships, running from November 15-18. Next on the programme is the water polo and the diving from November 22-25.
Tickets to the action are Dh20 for day passes and Dh80 for season passes for all 11 days. Tickets will be available at the entrance and children under 12 enter free of charge. Those interested in water polo clinics from November 23-25 should contact uaeswimmingfederation@gmail.com or +971 (0)4 3062690.
Multimedia
Sport Editor's choice
-
Emirates increases PSG sponsorship deal
Dubai airline and French champions revel in mutually beneficial global recognition
-
Bayern eye more records in league finale
Manager Jupp Heynckes to sign off at the club where he started his career
-
Sreesanth: Indian cricket’s fall guy
He slipped from fame to shame repeatedly pressing the self destruction button