|
|
July 15, 2004
Canada fields
new-look teams for men’s and women’s world junior water polo
qualifier July 15-26 at San Salvador.
OTTAWA- New-look
Canadian men’s and women’s squads are both in the hunt for
medals at the qualifying tournaments for their respective world
junior championships which start Thursday in San Salvador.
In women’s
competition, Canada is the reigning world junior champion, a title
earned last year in Calgary. The sole returnee from that squad at
the qualifier is Krystina Alogbo of Montreal. She scored the winning
goal in the gold medal game against the U.S., at the world juniors
last year and was named the top player.
Canada must finish
in the top-four at the eight-country tournament which includes the
arch-rival Americans along with Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico,
Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Venezuela. The world juniors are
next January in Perth, Australia.
"Our main
competition is definitely the U.S., but Brazil is also very strong,"
said Canadian assistant coach Jon Clarke of Dollard-des-Ormeaux,
Que. "We have a young team but there is a lot of talent and we’re
confident we can get the berth for the world juniors."
Also on the team
are Joelle Bekhazi, Nadia Kvakic, Kaitlin Leonard, Katie Monton,
Nessrine Sabri and Steph Valin, all of Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Alex
Dionne of Ste-Foy, Que.; Carmen Eggens and Kerry Kaukinnen of
Vancouver, Whitney Genoway of Regina and Melanie Laroche and
Johannie Morisseau of Montreal.
On the men’s side
there are three returnees from last year’s team that placed 15th
at the world junior championships in Naples, Italy. They are Justin
Oliveira of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Kevin Graham of Regina, and Clem
Hui of Vancouver.
The Canadians also
must crack the top-four to advance to the worlds in October 2005 in
Argentina. Nine other countries are entered at the qualifier: the
U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica,
Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina.
Other Canadian team
members are Adam Tittley, Tommy Baker and Mohammed El-Sakkary of
Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Bradley Ward of Saanich, B.C., Brandon Jung,
Thomas Courtemanche and Alex Demner of Vancouver and Curtis Petersen
and Steven Ardell of Calgary.
"This is a
young team which is primarily focused on qualifying for the 2005
world championship and their second focus being a medal this week,"
said assistant coach Jordan Thomson of Calgary.
Canadian teams for
the world junior championship qualifying tournament July 15-26 at
San Salvador:
Men
Players: Justin
Oliveira, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.; Kevin Graham, Regina; Clem Hui,
Vancouver; Adam Tittley, Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Tommy Baker,
Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Mohammed El-Sakkary, Dollard-des-Ormeaux;
Bradley Ward, Saanich, B.C., Brandon Jung, Vancouver; Thomas
Courtemanche, Vancouver; Alex Demner, Vancouver; Curtis Petersen,
Calgary; Steven Ardell, Calgary
Head coaches: Chris
Hammer, Calgary and John Csikos, Calgary.
Team manager:
Jordan Thomson, Calgary.
Women
Players: Krystina
Alogbo, Montreal; Joelle Bekhazi, Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Nadia Kvakic,
Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Kaitlin Leonard, Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Katie
Monton, Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Nessrine Sabri, Dollard-des-Ormeaux;
Steph Valin, Dollard-des-Ormeaux; Alex Dionne, Ste-Foy, Que.; Carmen
Eggens, Vancouver; Kerry Kaukinnen, Vancouver; Whitney Genoway,
Regina, Melanie Laroche, Montreal; Johannie Morisseau, Montreal.
Head coach: Baher
el Sakkary, Dollard-des-Ormeaux
Assistant coach:
Trevor Thorington, Winnipeg
Manager: Jon
Clarke, Dollard-des-Ormeaux
|
