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OLYMPICTIONARY
Water polo is a team sport that seems a lot like American soccer but is actually played in a swimming pool. What's funny is that even though it seems like soccer, this game is actually based on rugby!
Athletes play in a swimming pool, and there are goal nets at both ends of the pool. The teams pass a ball up and down the pool trying to throw it into the nets to score a goal. The ball is about the same size as a soccer ball. Like soccer, the team with the most goals wins.
Water Polo is a challenging game. The athletes are not allowed to touch the bottom or the side of the pool at all! They have to tread water or swim the entire time. The game is broken down into four periods, and each period is seven minutes long.
This year is special because women's Water Polo is being added to the Olympics for the very first time.
Ones to Watch: Keep an eye on the defending Olympic men's champion, Spain, as well as the Hungarian, Russian, and Italian teams. In the women's competition watch the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, and Italy.
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