Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's tournament of water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney, Australia, began on September 23 and lasted until October 1, 2000.^[1]

Men's water polo
at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad

Tournament details
Host country	Australia
City	Sydney
Venue(s)	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre, Sydney International Aquatic Centre
Dates	23 September – 1 October 2000
Teams	12 (from 4 confederations)
Competitors	153
Final positions
Champions	Hungary (7th title)
Runners-up	Russia
Third place	Yugoslavia
Fourth place	Spain
Tournament statistics
Matches	48
Multiple appearances	6-time Olympian(s): 1 5-time Olympian(s): 2 4-time Olympian(s): 4
Top scorer(s)	Aleksandar Šapić (18 goals in 8 matches)
Most saves	Dan Hackett (70 saves in 8 matches)
Top sprinter(s)	Brad Schumacher (20 sprints won in 8 matches)
← 1996 2004 →

Medalists

Gold	Silver	Bronze
Hungary[1] Attila Vári Zoltán Szécsi Bulcsú Székely Zsolt Varga Tamás Märcz Tamás Molnár Barnabás Steinmetz Tamás Kásás Gergely Kiss Zoltán Kósz Tibor Benedek Péter Biros Rajmund Fodor Head Coach: Dénes Kemény	Russia Irek Zinnourov Dmitri Stratan Revaz Tchomakhidze Marat Zakirov Nikolay Kozlov Nikolai Maximov Andrei Reketchinski Serguei Garbouzov Dmitry Gorshkov Yuri Yatsev Roman Balachov Dmitri Douquine Alexandre Erychov Head Coach: Aleksandr Kabanov	FR Yugoslavia Pedrag Zimonjić Jugoslav Vasović Vladimir Vujasinović Nenad Vukanić Aleksandar Šoštar Petar Trbojević Veljko Uskoković Nikola Kuljača Aleksandar Šapić Dejan Savić Aleksandar Ćirić Danilo Ikodinović Viktor Jelenić Head Coach: Nenad Manojlović

Preliminary round

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Russia	5	4	1	0	51	28	+23	9	Quarter Finals
2	Italy	5	4	1	0	43	32	+11	9
3	Spain	5	2	1	2	32	34	−2	5
4	Australia (H)	5	1	2	2	38	36	+2	4
5	Kazakhstan	5	1	1	3	41	46	−5	3
6	Slovakia	5	0	0	5	30	59	−29	0

Source: LA84
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Hosts

23 September 2000 10:45	Slovakia	8–11	Italy	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Ludecke (GER)
	Score by quarters: 0-3, 2-3, 3-2, 3-3

23 September 2000 15:00	Kazakhstan	7–8	Spain	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Margeta (SLO)
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 3-2, 1-3, 2-1

23 September 2000 17:30	Australia	4–6	Russia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Rajevic (YUG)
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 0-1, 1-2, 2-1

---

24 September 2000 10:45	Russia	7–7	Italy	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Margeta (SLO)
	Score by quarters: 2-1, 3-3, 2-1, 0-2

24 September 2000 15:45	Spain	7–6	Slovakia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Janseen (NED)
	Score by quarters: 1-3, 2-1, 2-2, 2-0

24 September 2000 20:30	Australia	11–11	Kazakhstan	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Takata (USA)
	Score by quarters: 2-4, 3-2, 4-3, 2-2

---

25 September 2000 10:45	Italy	6–5	Spain	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Chasekioglou (GRE)
	Score by quarters: 2-1, 1-2, 2-1, 1-1

25 September 2000 15:45	Kazakhstan	7–9	Russia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Csaszar (HUN), Moradi Shahpar (IRI)
	Score by quarters: 1-1, 1-4, 2-2, 3-2

25 September 2000 20:30	Slovakia	6–11	Australia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Boyer (USA)
	Score by quarters: 1-4, 1-3, 2-3, 2-1

---

26 September 2000 10:45	Russia	8–5	Spain	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Margeta (SLO), Schwartz (ISR)
	Score by quarters: 4-3, 1-0, 1-1, 2-1

26 September 2000 15:45	Kazakhstan	9–5	Slovakia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Mendendez Betancourt (CUB)
	Score by quarters: 4-0, 1-0, 1-2, 3-3

26 September 2000 20:30	Australia	5–6	Italy	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Clemencon (FRA)
	Score by quarters: 1-0, 1-2, 3-2, 0-2

---

27 September 2000 10:45	Slovakia	5–21	Russia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Janseen van de Laak (NED)
	Score by quarters: 1-7, 1-5, 1-6, 2-3

27 September 2000 15:45	Italy	13–7	Kazakhstan	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Csaszar (HUN)
	Score by quarters: 2-1, 2-1, 5-3, 4-2

27 September 2000 20:30	Australia	7–7	Spain	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE)
	Score by quarters: 0-2, 2-1, 3-2, 2-2

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	FR Yugoslavia	5	4	1	0	41	22	+19	9	Quarter Finals
2	Croatia	5	4	1	0	42	30	+12	9
3	Hungary	5	3	0	2	49	39	+10	6
4	United States	5	2	0	3	42	39	+3	4
5	Netherlands	5	1	0	4	34	55	−21	2
6	Greece	5	0	0	5	22	45	−23	0

Source: LA84
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.

23 September 2000 09:30	Greece	4–7	Hungary	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kratochvil (SVK), Balfanbayev (KAZ)
	Score by quarters: 0-3, 1-2, 2-0, 1-2

23 September 2000 12:00	FR Yugoslavia	9–1	Netherlands	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Turcotte (CAN)
	Score by quarters: 3-0, 3-1, 2-0, 1-0

23 September 2000 16:15	Croatia	10–7	United States	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Galkine (RUS)
	Score by quarters: 3-1, 4-1, 1-2, 2-3

---

24 September 2000 9:30	Hungary	16–8	Netherlands	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Melliar (RSA)
	Score by quarters: 5-3, 3-2, 3-2, 5-1

24 September 2000 14:30	United States	5–8	FR Yugoslavia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Schwartz (ISR)
	Score by quarters: 1-3, 2-2, 1-2, 1-1

24 September 2000 19:15	Greece	5–9	Croatia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Afanasiev (RUS)
	Score by quarters: 2-3, 1-2, 1-1, 1-3

---

25 September 2000 9:30	Netherlands	8–12	United States	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Afanasiev (RUS), Menendez Betancourt (CUB)
	Score by quarters: 2-4, 3-3, 1-3, 2-2

25 September 2000 14:30	Croatia	8–7	Hungary	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Kratochvil (SVK)
	Score by quarters: 2-3, 1-1, 3-1, 2-2

25 September 2000 19:15	FR Yugoslavia	10–3	Greece	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Balfanbayev (KAZ)
	Score by quarters: 4-2, 2-1, 3-0, 1-0

---

26 September 2000 09:30	Hungary	10–9	United States	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Galkine (RUS)
	Score by quarters: 3-1, 2-3, 3-4, 2-1

26 September 2000 14:30	Greece	7–10	Netherlands	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Bower (AUS)
	Score by quarters: 2-3, 2-3, 1-2, 2-2

26 September 2000 19:15	Croatia	4–4	FR Yugoslavia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Afanasiev (RUS)*
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 0-0, 2-1, 1-1

---

27 September 2000 09:30	FR Yugoslavia	10–9	Hungary	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER)
	Score by quarters: 3-3, 2-3, 3-2, 2-1

27 September 2000 14:30	Netherlands	7–11	Croatia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Balfanbayev (KAZ), Melliar (RSA)
	Score by quarters: 1-1, 1-4, 3-3, 2-3

27 September 2000 19:15	Greece	3–9	United States	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Tulga (TUR)
	Score by quarters: 0-2, 0-3, 0-2, 3-2

Classification for 9th-12th

Team	Pld	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Kazakhstan	3	2	0	1	23	18	+5	5
Greece	3	1	0	2	24	20	+4	4
Netherlands	3	1	1	1	19	20	-1	3
Slovakia	3	0	3	0	24	32	-8	0

29 September 2000 09:30	Kazakhstan	6–6	Greece	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Schwartz (ISR), Menendez Betancourt (CUB)
	Score by quarters: 0-3, 3-1, 1-2, 2-0

29 September 2000 10:45	Slovakia	8–9	Netherlands	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bower (AUS), Moradi Shahpar (IRI)
	Score by quarters: 1-1, 2-2, 3-4, 2-2

---

30 September 2000 10:00	Kazakhstan	11–8	Slovakia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Melliar (RSA)
	Score by quarters: 4-1, 3-1, 2-2, 2-4

30 September 2000 11:15	Netherlands	6–6	Greece	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Csaszar (HUN)
	Score by quarters: 0-2, 2-1, 1-3, 3-0

---

1 October 2000 9:00	Slovakia	8–12	Greece	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Takata (USA), Moradi Shahpar (IRI)
	Score by quarters: 2-3, 4-3, 1-1, 1-5

1 October 2000 10:15	Kazakhstan	6–4	Netherlands	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Menendez Betancourt (CUB), Margeta (SLO)
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 2-0, 2-1, 1-1

Knockout stage

Bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Gold medal
	29 September
	Russia	11
					30 September
	United States	10
					Russia	8
	29 September
					Spain	7
	Croatia	8
									1 October
	Spain	9
									Russia	6
	29 September
									Hungary	13
	Italy	5
					30 September
	Hungary	8
					Hungary	8
	29 September
					Yugoslavia	7			Bronze medal
	Yugoslavia	7
									1 October
	Australia	3
									Yugoslavia	8
									Spain	3

Fifth place bracket

	5–8th place semifinals				Fifth place
	30 September
	United States	9
					1 October
	Croatia	8
					United States	8
	30 September
					Italy	10
	Italy	8
	Australia	4
					Seventh place
					1 October
					Croatia	10
					Australia	8

Quarterfinals

29 September 2000 14:30	Russia	11–10	United States	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Margeta (SLO)
	Score by quarters: 3-0, 2-4, 4-3, 2-3

29 September 2000 15:45	Italy	5–8	Hungary	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Chasekioglou (GRE)
	Score by quarters: 0-2, 3-3, 2-2, 0-1

29 September 2000 19:15	Spain	9–8	Croatia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Clemencon (FRA)
	Score by quarters: 1-1, 3-1, 2-3, 3-3

29 September 2000 20:30	Australia	3–7	FR Yugoslavia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Turcotte (CAN)
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 0-2, 1-2, 1-1

5–8th place semifinals

30 September 2000 19:00	United States	9–8	Croatia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Clemencon (FRA)
	Score by quarters: 1-0, 2-2, 2-2, 2-3,1-1,1-0

30 September 2000 20:15	Italy	8–4	Australia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Prikhodko (KAZ)
	Score by quarters: 2-2, 2-2, 2-0, 2-0

Semifinals

30 September 2000 14:30	Russia	8–7	Spain	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Katochvil (SVK)
	Score by quarters: 3-3, 2-1, 1-1, 1-2, 0-0, 0-0, 1-0

30 September 2000 15:45	Hungary	8–7	FR Yugoslavia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER)
	Score by quarters: 3-2, 2-3, 2-2, 1-0

Seventh place game

1 October 2000 11:30	Croatia	10–8	Australia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Turcotte (CAN)
	Score by quarters: 2-2, 2-2, 4-2, 2-2

Fifth place game

1 October 2000 12:45	United States	8–10	Italy	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Ludecke (GER)
	Score by quarters: 2-4, 1-3, 3-1, 2-2

Bronze medal game

1 October 2000 15:00	Spain	3–8	FR Yugoslavia	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Afanasiev (RUS)
	Score by quarters: 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 0-2

Gold medal game

1 October 2000 16:15	Russia	6–13	Hungary	Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE)
	Score by quarters: 1-3, 1-5, 2-2, 2-3

Ranking and statistics

Main article: List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics

See also: National team appearances in the men's Olympic water polo tournament

Final rankings

Rank[1] Team  Hungary  Russia  FR Yugoslavia 4.  Spain 5.  Italy 6.  United States 7.  Croatia 8.  Australia 9.  Kazakhstan 10.  Greece 11.  Netherlands 12.  Slovakia

2000 Men's Olympic champions  Hungary Seventh title

Multi-time Olympians

Main article: List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments

Six-time Olympian(s): 1 player

•  Spain: Manuel Estiarte^[2]

Five-time Olympian(s): 2 players

•  Greece: George Mavrotas^[3]
•  Spain: Jordi Sans^[4]

Four-time Olympian(s): 4 players

•  Greece: Filippos Kaiafas^[5]
•  Spain: Pedro García,^[6] Salvador Gómez,^[7] Jesús Rollán (GK)^[8]

Leading goalscorers

Rank	Player	Team	Goals	Matches played	Goals per match	Shots	%
1	Aleksandar Šapić	Yugoslavia	18	8	2.250	50	36.0%
2	Aleksandr Yeryshov	Russia	17	8	2.125	51	33.3%
3	Chris Humbert	United States	16	8	2.000	39	41.0%
	Harry van der Meer	Netherlands		8	2.000	44	36.4%
	Wolf Wigo	United States		8	2.000	25	64.0%
6	Ioannis Thomakos	Greece	15	8	1.875	30	50.0%
7	Revaz Chomakhidze	Russia	14	8	1.750	32	43.8%
	Gergely Kiss	Hungary		8	1.750	24	58.3%
9	Tony Azevedo	United States	13	8	1.625	40	32.5%
10	Tamás Kásás	Hungary	12	8	1.500	33	36.4%
	Daniel Marsden	Australia		8	1.500	40	30.0%

Source: Official Results Book (page 45–92)^[9][10]

Leading goalkeepers

Rank	Goalkeeper	Team	Saves	Matches played	Saves per match	Shots	%
1	Dan Hackett	United States	70	8	8.750	135	51.9%
2	Arie van de Bunt	Netherlands	65	8	8.125	140	46.4%
3	Zoltán Kósz	Hungary	58	8	7.250	112	51.8%
	Nikolay Maksimov	Russia		8	7.250	99	58.6%
	Jesús Rollán	Spain		8	7.250	116	50.0%
6	Eddie Denis	Australia	56	8	7.000	107	52.3%
7	Konstantin Chernov	Kazakhstan	52	8	6.500	96	54.2%
8	Aleksandar Šoštar	Yugoslavia	49	8	6.125	85	57.6%
9	Nikolaos Deligiannis	Greece	48	8	6.000	97	49.5%
10	István Gergely	Slovakia	44	8	5.500	110	40.0%

Source: Official Results Book (page 45–92)^[9][10]

Leading sprinters

Rank	Sprinter	Team	Sprints won	Matches played	Sprints won per match	Sprints contested	%
1	Brad Schumacher	United States	20	8	2.500	34	58.8%
2	Aleksandar Ćirić	Yugoslavia	17	8	2.125	24	70.8%
3	Tamás Kásás	Hungary	15	8	1.875	29	51.7%
	Nathan Thomas	Australia		8	1.875	19	78.9%
5	Róbert Káid	Slovakia	12	8	1.500	16	75.0%
	Ioannis Thomakos	Greece		8	1.500	18	66.7%
7	Roman Balashov	Russia	11	8	1.375	15	73.3%
8	Milan Cipov	Slovakia	10	8	1.250	12	83.3%
	Alberto Ghibellini	Italy		8	1.250	16	62.5%
	Sergi Pedrerol	Spain		8	1.250	27	37.0%

Source: Official Results Book (page 44)^[9][10]

References

1. "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
2. "Manuel Estiarte". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
3. "George Mavrotas". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
4. "Jordi Sans". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
5. "Filippos Kaiafas". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
6. "Pedro García". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
7. "Salvador Gómez". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
8. "Jesús Rollán". olympedia.org. Olympedia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
9. "Official Results Book – 2000 Olympic Games – Water Polo" (PDF). la84.org. LA84 Foundation. 2001. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
10. "Official Results Book – 2000 Olympic Games – Water Polo (Download)" (PDF). la84.org. LA84 Foundation. 2001. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.

Sources

• PDF documents in the LA84 Foundation Digital Library:
  • Official Results Book – 2000 Olympic Games – Water Polo (download, archive)
• Water polo on the Olympedia website
  • Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics (men's tournament)
• Water polo on the Sports Reference website
  • Water polo at the 2000 Summer Games (men's tournament) (archived)