The water polo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia saw Hungary’s return to the gold medal platform and the introduction of the women’s tournament. The Australian women had lobbied the IOC hard for the inclusion of women’s water polo in the Olympics, including showing up at the airport dressed only in their swimsuits during one pre-Olympic visit by members of the IOC.

Six nations competed in the women’s tournament with home team Australia winning the gold medal over the United States.

Twelve nations competed in the men’s tournament and played a total of 48 matches. Spain was unable to follow up their 1996 gold medal performance with a medal. Hungary defeated Russia for the gold medal.

Final Results

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Men's Tournament

Hungary
Attila Vari, Zoltan Szecsi, Bulcsu Szekely, Zsolt Varga, Tamas Marcz, Tamas Molnar, Barnabas Steinmetz, Tamas Kasas, Gergely Kiss, Zoltan Kosz, Tibor Benedek, Peter Biros, Rajmund FodorRussia
Irek Zinnourov, Dmitri Stratan, Revaz Tchomakhidze, Marat Zakirov, Nikolay Kozlov, Nikolai Maximov, Andrei Reketchinski, Serquei Garbouzov, Dmitry Gorshkov, Iouri Iatsev, Roman Balachov, Dmitri Douquine, Alexandre ErychovYugoslavia Federation
Pedrag Zimonjic, Jugoslav Vasovic, Vladimir Vujasinovic, Nenad Vukanic, Aleksandar Sostar, Petar Trbojevic, Veljko Uskokovic, Nikola Kuljaca, Alexandar Sapic, Dejan Savic, Aleksandar Ciric, Danilo Ikodinovic, Viktor Jelenic

Medal

Team

Women's Tournament

Australia
Taryn Woods, Debbie Watson, Liz Weekes, Danielle Woodhouse, Bronwyn Mayer, Gail Miller, Melissa Mills, Simone Hankin, Yvette Higgins, Kate Hooper, Naomi Castle, Joanne Fox, Bridgette GustersonUnited States
Brenda Villa, Kathy Sheehy, Coralie Simmons, Julie Swail, Maureen O’Toole, Nicolle Payne, Heather Petri, Ericka Lorenz, Heather Moody, Bernice Orwig, Robin Beauregard, Ellen EstesRussia
Ekaterina Vassilieva, Elena Smurova, Elena Tokoun, Irina Tolkounova, Ioulia Petrova, Tatiana Petrova, Galina Rytova, Maria Koroleva, Natalia Koutouzova, Svetlana Kouzina, Marina Akobia, Ekaterina Anikeeva, Sofia Konoukh

Medal

Team

2000 Summer Olympics events | Water polo at the Olympics

Olympische Sommerspiele 2000/Wasserball | Waterpolo en los Juegos Olímpicos de Sydney 2000 | シドニーオリンピックにおける水球競技