Today (May 25) the women’s polo team held its first training session ahead of the competitive season, the main goal of which is selection for the Olympic Games in Paris.

There were 22 athletes in the pool of the Evelpidon school in Vari, and, as federal coach Alexia Kammenou stated on the website www.kathimerini.gr, they were all in a good mood and ready to give all their strength to the representative group that can be found after 2008 year, again at the main sporting event.

But the road to Olympic qualification is long and full of… stops. The point is for our international players to make the best use of every “relationship” to make their sporting dreams come true.

big goal

“Our main goal is nothing less than to qualify for the tournament in Paris. At the World Championships, which will be held in Fukuoka, there will be two teams that will take part in the final. We want to play well and qualify for qualification,” Alexia Kammenou told us.

The first “stop” of the “blue and white” will be the United States, as the final stage of the World Cup will be held there (June 23-25, Log Beach).

World

“In a few days we are leaving for the USA. In San Francisco we will play three friendly matches with the US team. We will prepare together and play another friendly match in Los Angeles. Then we’ll go to Long Beach. Our first opponent will be Hungary, a good team. In fact, all matches will be a kind of rehearsal before the World Cup, because there we want to be fully prepared, ”the federal coach emphasized.

The World Championship in Fukuoka will be held from 14 to 29 July. “We want to take first place in our group in order to face an easier opponent in the quarterfinals. Of course, at this level, I believe that there are no favorites and outsiders. All groups are very close,” said Ms. Cummenow.

In preparation, the “captain” of the team was Evangelia Karitsa, Irini Ninou, Eleftheria Fundotu, Ariadni Karabetsu, Eleni Sotireli, Dionisia Kureta, Phoebe Angelidis, Athena Yiannopoulou, Eleni Eleniadi, Marina Kotsioni, Chrysula Diamantopoulou, Nicole Eleftheriadu, Maria Miriokefalitaki. , Eleni Xenaki, Vasiliki Pleuritou, Eleftheria Pleuritou, Margarita Pleuritou, Stefania Santa, Christina Siuti, Ioanna Stamatopoulou, Fotini Tricha and Ioanna Hidirioti.

Heavy weight

“At the last European Championship, we had the lowest average age. Two experienced gymnasts Eleftheriadu and Diamantopoulou also returned. This team was created with the aim of qualifying for the upcoming and next Olympic Games. In 2028, these girls will be in their prime. But now the burden they bear is great. The last time the national team went to the Olympics was in 2008. I have confidence in my athletes who have worked all this time and in a serious league. They realized that they had to give 110% of their potential. Every hour of training is important to us. I am sure that we will succeed and our common dream will come true. We will give our soul, and we have nothing and no one to be afraid of,” the experienced coach emphasized.