Israel's U16 Girls Water Polo Team Begins World Championship Campaign in Croatia

Israel's under-16 girls water polo team is set to start its participation in the World Championship tomorrow in Zagreb, Croatia. Coached by Idan Kaftori, the team faces a challenging group including Hungary, the Netherlands, Mexico, and South Africa. Their first match will be against South Africa, followed by games against Hungary on Saturday, Mexico on Sunday, and the Netherlands on Monday. Advancement to the knockout stage will depend on the results from other groups in the tournament.

The team completed a six-week preparation period, culminating in a training tournament in Greece. Coach Kaftori acknowledged some injury issues and the young age of several players as challenges but emphasized the team's continuous improvement and fighting spirit. He highlighted the tournament as an important learning experience and a foundation for building Israel's future senior national team.

Following the girls' tournament, Israel's under-16 boys team will also compete in the World Championship in Croatia from August 3 to 9, facing a tough group with the Netherlands, Ukraine, Brazil, and Russia, which is returning to international competition after a hiatus. Additionally, Israel's under-18 girls team will participate in the World Championship in Tenerife, Spain, from August 16 to 23, grouped with Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Israel's under-20 women's team will compete in the European Championship in Portugal from August 1 to 8, drawn into a difficult group with European champion Spain, runner-up Greece, and Italy. The under-20 men's team will also compete in Portugal in the European Championship's second tier, facing Ukraine, Switzerland, Britain, and Belgium.