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

Israel's under-16 girls water polo team will 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 is against South Africa, followed by games against Hungary on Saturday, Mexico on Sunday, and the Netherlands on Monday. The knockout stage qualifiers will be determined by the overall results across groups.

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

This tournament is part of a broader summer schedule for Israeli youth water polo teams. The U16 boys team will 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 years of absence. The U18 girls team will participate in the World Championship in Tenerife, Spain, from August 16 to 23, grouped with Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Additionally, the U20 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, which finished fourth in the previous tournament. The U20 men's team will also compete in Portugal in the European Championship's second tier, placed in a group with Ukraine, Switzerland, Britain, and Belgium.