“Water polo is a minority in Spain but that does not take away our love for this sport”
MADRID, 31 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s water polo coach, Miki Oca, celebrates the recent successes of the team he leads, such as the double European championship or the farthest world gold from Barcelona 2013, as well as the fact that boys and girls continue to want to practice a sport that is still a minority and that it has given, except in the Olympic Games, capital joys.
“For the moment, the Olympic gold medal has been lacking. We understand that it is a very difficult challenge, but we also think that we have the capacity for it. There have been very beautiful moments in all these years,” he assured in an interview facilitated by the organizers of the IX María de Villota Awards and the XI Ciudad de la Raqueta Awards.
Despite this absence of the Olympic gold in the team’s list of winners, the coach assured that the “love” for water polo will continue to lead them to a good port. “Whether we get the recognition we deserve or not, I don’t know. If they give us recognition, then that would be fine. Water polo is a minority sport, but that’s not going to separate us for the love of the game,” he argued.
For Oca, success is summed up in “everything is work.” “The competitions are uncertain. There is a high level, all the matches are decided by minimal differences. In each competition you start from scratch. You have to accept that it is a very difficult challenge and go with the idea in your head that we have the capacity to choose a medal in each competition”, he valued.
Although the most important thing of all is that the players are a “committed group”, with desire and faith in what they can do, Oca highly valued the fact that “good generations” continue to come out of the national water polo base.
“Good generations are coming out that add up with a lot of quality and talent and that show from the base that they are good competitors. Practically in every season, the teams of lower categories make podiums and stay very close. That ensures the relay. Girls come out eager, hungry and capable,” he said.
“Hopefully it will help draw more attention to water polo and serve as a promotion. If we have more visibility, great. All of us who do this, we do it because we love it and we will continue to do it,” he said when asked about the film ’42 seconds’, inspired by the Spanish team and its journey in the Barcelona 92 ??Olympic Games.
The Spanish women’s water polo team was proclaimed European champion this year, for the second consecutive time, after defeating Greece 9-6 in the final in Split (Croatia). A success that follows previous achievements such as the Olympic silvers in London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 or the World Cup gold in Barcelona 2013.
On November 8, the Spanish Women’s Water Polo Team will receive the María de Villota Award in the Sports Feat category, at the gala for the IX María de Villota Awards and XI City of the Racquet Awards on November 8 in the City of Madrid racket.
“Receiving an award like this is an honor. The whole team feels very proud. In addition, this recognition always helps the players feel recognized and the successes that have been achieved over the years are valued,” Oca assured the regard.
