3 minute read

Australia have overcome Japan to take the men's World League Inter Continental Cup in Perth, while the women's side narrowly went down to the USA.

Australia's men's water polo team have claimed bronze at the World League Super Final, after an 11-10 victory over Spain.

The Sharks led 5-4 at halftime and maintained their one-goal margin to cap off a hectic six days of action in Serbia.

The bronze medal adds to the Sharks' silver medal last year at the FINA World Cup and sets them up for the 2019 world championships in Gwangju, South Korea, from 14-28 July.

After qualifying for the eight-team Super Final event, by winning the Intercontinental Cup on home soil in March, the Australians finished third in their group with one win and two losses earlier in the week.

They accounted for Hungary 10-10 (6-5 penalties) in the quarter-finals before they fell to hosts Serbia 16-11 in the semi-finals.

Sharks coach Elvis Fatovic was pleased with their World League campaign against high-quality opposition.

"I feel really moved that my team could win this medal, a second one within a year at a FINA event.

"The boys deserve all the credit. They fought with their hearts, they didn't collapse mentally when Spain could equalise after a long battle, instead, they managed to score again and again.

"I am really proud of them."

Olympian Joe Kayes had four goals for the Australians while captain Aaron Younger (three) and triple Olympian Rhys Howden (two) were the others with multiple goals.

"The boys are stoked; it's been a long six days for us," Kayes said.

"We knew it would be more of a mental battle just as it would be physical and we just managed to hold them and play our game for the whole four quarters, so we are really stoked and looking forward to world champs.