MINISTER VISITS WATER POLO ELITE
Sports Minister Richard Caborn was in Manchester today to
witness the work being undertaken by the British water polo
teams as they prepare for 2012.
Following the award of the London Olympics, the sport has
received funding from UK Sport that will allow it to concentrate
on building a team capable of competing when the biggest event
in sport returns to home soil in just six years time.
Performance Men's Coach Eelco Uri has already been appointed
to lead the team in its pursuit of excellence and a women's
coach is set to be in place by the end of the year. Uri outlined
the plans for water polo and the Sports Minister was suitably
impressed.
"The water polo teams are currently at a foundation
level and I expect to see them develop over the next few years,"
said Caborn. "British Swimming is in the process of putting
a very professional system in place and I'm assured that we'll
be in with a fighting chance of success if not in Beijing
then in 2012."
Men's Coach Uri, who has represented Holland twice in water
polo at the Olympics, joined the British team at the Heliopolis
International Water Polo Tournament in Egypt just two weeks
ago and believes with the new programme in place they have
a good chance of success.
"I attended the ASA finals earlier this year and I was
impressed with the levels of talent I saw," he said.
"We've definitely got the potential to succeed.
"I hope my appointment will have a real impact. I've
been through this whole experience myself when I was a player
and from a coaching point of view, I've worked with national
teams and junior squads, so I know what it takes to succeed
at the top of your sport.
"What's happening within British Water Polo at the moment
is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's not just about the
2012 Olympics, it will go beyond that, but the next six years
are very important and are going to go by very quickly - 2012
will be here before we know it.
"I envy the guys as players as they will be have the
chance to compete at a home Olympics. But with that comes
the responsibility to pave the way so future generations can
make the most of the opportunity we have now.
"We're at the start of something very exciting but it's
not going to be easy. We definitely have a system in place
that will deliver success and I'm confident we can do something
pretty amazing."
The team will have their first opportunity to impress on home
soil when they compete at the European B Water Polo Championships
which take place at the Manchester Aquatics Centre from 8-15
July next year.
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