Dubai to host Water Polo & Synchronised Swimming events

Dubai, Oct 9, 2012 (WAM) - Following the success of the opening leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup in Dubai last week, sports fans in the UAE are in for another feast exciting aquatic action in the coming weeks. Later this week and for the first time ever, Dubai will play host the inaugural International Water Polo and Synchronised Swimming Championships at the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex. Aside from being the first time these Championships have been held, it is also the first time both water polo and synchronised swimming competitions have ever been conducted in Dubai. The Championships, which get underway on Thursday and conclude on Saturday, will feature four international standard water polo teams competing over three days in a round robin format, all playing each other once. The teams competing in this inaugural water polo event are the Kuwaiti National Team; Olympiakos FC of Greece; the Heliopolis Club of Egypt, and seven-time European champions Partizan Raiffeisen of Serbia. Meanwhile, the synchronised Swimming Championships will feature completion in the solo, duet and team disciplines and will see Vouliagmeni Nautical Club of Greece, Egypt's Shooting Club of Egypt and Chinese Junior National Team battle for honours. All three teams have an impressive international pedigree in synchronised swimming, with the Chinese taking silver in the teams event and bronze in the duets at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Greece and Egypt also featured in the Olympic finals, the Greek women’s duets team coming eighth, and Egypt taking seventh in the teams competition. The synchronised swimming competition will take place from 2.00pm-5.00pm on 11, 12 and 13 October, with solo, duets and teams on the first two days and the free combination competition on the final day. The water polo games will be held after the synchronised swimming on the same days at 5.30pm and 7pm. The event is being held in the lead up to the 9th Asian Swimming Championships which will also be held in Emirate from November 15-25. The Asian Championships will be the first time all four disciplines of swimming, synchronised swimming, water polo and diving will be held in one event in one venue. – Sport 360°