# Water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's tournament of water polo at the 2000 Summer Olympics at Sydney, Australia, began on September 23 and lasted until October 1, 2000.

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| HungaryAttila Vári Zoltán Szécsi Bulcsú Székely Zsolt Varga Tamás Märcz Tamás Molnár Barnabás Steinmetz Tamás Kásás Gergely Kiss Zoltán Kósz Tibor Benedek Péter Biros Rajmund Fodor Head Coach: Dénes Kemény | RussiaIrek Zinnourov Dmitri Stratan Revaz Tchomakhidze Marat Zakirov Nikolay Kozlov Nikolai Maximov Andrei Reketchinski Serguei Garbouzov Dmitry Gorshkov Yuri Yatsev Roman Balachov Dmitri Douquine Alexandre Erychov Head Coach: Aleksandr Kabanov | FR YugoslaviaPedrag Zimonjić Jugoslav Vasović Vladimir Vujasinović Nenad Vukanić Aleksandar Šoštar Petar Trbojević Veljko Uskoković Nikola Kuljača Aleksandar Šapić Dejan Savić Aleksandar Ćirić Danilo Ikodinović Viktor Jelenić Head Coach: Nenad Manojlović |

## Preliminary round
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Russia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 28 | +23 | 9 | Quarter Finals |
| 2 | Italy | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 32 | +11 | 9 | Quarter Finals |
| 3 | Spain | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 34 | −2 | 5 | Quarter Finals |
| 4 | Australia (H) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 4 | Quarter Finals |
| 5 | Kazakhstan | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 3 | |
| 6 | Slovakia | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 59 | −29 | 0 | |
| 23 September 2000 10:45 | Slovakia | 8–11 | Italy | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Ludecke (GER) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Ludecke (GER) |||
| 23 September 2000 15:00 | Kazakhstan | 7–8 | Spain | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Margeta (SLO) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Margeta (SLO) |||
| 23 September 2000 17:30 | Australia | 4–6 | Russia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Rajevic (YUG) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Rajevic (YUG) |||
| 24 September 2000 10:45 | Russia | 7–7 | Italy | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Margeta (SLO) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Margeta (SLO) |||
| 24 September 2000 15:45 | Spain | 7–6 | Slovakia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Janseen (NED) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Janseen (NED) |||
| 24 September 2000 20:30 | Australia | 11–11 | Kazakhstan | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Takata (USA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Takata (USA) |||
| 25 September 2000 10:45 | Italy | 6–5 | Spain | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Chasekioglou (GRE) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Chasekioglou (GRE) |||
| 25 September 2000 15:45 | Kazakhstan | 7–9 | Russia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Csaszar (HUN), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Csaszar (HUN), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |||
| 25 September 2000 20:30 | Slovakia | 6–11 | Australia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Boyer (USA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Boyer (USA) |||
| 26 September 2000 10:45 | Russia | 8–5 | Spain | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Margeta (SLO), Schwartz (ISR) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Margeta (SLO), Schwartz (ISR) |||
| 26 September 2000 15:45 | Kazakhstan | 9–5 | Slovakia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Mendendez Betancourt (CUB) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Mendendez Betancourt (CUB) |||
| 26 September 2000 20:30 | Australia | 5–6 | Italy | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Clemencon (FRA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Clemencon (FRA) |||
| 27 September 2000 10:45 | Slovakia | 5–21 | Russia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Janseen van de Laak (NED) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Janseen van de Laak (NED) |||
| 27 September 2000 15:45 | Italy | 13–7 | Kazakhstan | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Csaszar (HUN) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Csaszar (HUN) |||
| 27 September 2000 20:30 | Australia | 7–7 | Spain | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE) |||

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | FR Yugoslavia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 22 | +19 | 9 | Quarter Finals |
| 2 | Croatia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 30 | +12 | 9 | Quarter Finals |
| 3 | Hungary | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 39 | +10 | 6 | Quarter Finals |
| 4 | United States | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 4 | Quarter Finals |
| 5 | Netherlands | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 34 | 55 | −21 | 2 | |
| 6 | Greece | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 45 | −23 | 0 | |
| 23 September 2000 09:30 | Greece | 4–7 | Hungary | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kratochvil (SVK), Balfanbayev (KAZ) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kratochvil (SVK), Balfanbayev (KAZ) |||
| 23 September 2000 12:00 | FR Yugoslavia | 9–1 | Netherlands | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Turcotte (CAN) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Turcotte (CAN) |||
| 23 September 2000 16:15 | Croatia | 10–7 | United States | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Galkine (RUS) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Galkine (RUS) |||
| 24 September 2000 9:30 | Hungary | 16–8 | Netherlands | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Melliar (RSA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Melliar (RSA) |||
| 24 September 2000 14:30 | United States | 5–8 | FR Yugoslavia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Schwartz (ISR) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Schwartz (ISR) |||
| 24 September 2000 19:15 | Greece | 5–9 | Croatia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Afanasiev (RUS) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Turcotte (CAN), Afanasiev (RUS) |||
| 25 September 2000 9:30 | Netherlands | 8–12 | United States | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Afanasiev (RUS), Menendez Betancourt (CUB) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Afanasiev (RUS), Menendez Betancourt (CUB) |||
| 25 September 2000 14:30 | Croatia | 8–7 | Hungary | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Kratochvil (SVK) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Kratochvil (SVK) |||
| 25 September 2000 19:15 | FR Yugoslavia | 10–3 | Greece | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Balfanbayev (KAZ) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Balfanbayev (KAZ) |||
| 26 September 2000 09:30 | Hungary | 10–9 | United States | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Galkine (RUS) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Galkine (RUS) |||
| 26 September 2000 14:30 | Greece | 7–10 | Netherlands | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Bower (AUS) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Bower (AUS) |||
| 26 September 2000 19:15 | Croatia | 4–4 | FR Yugoslavia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Afanasiev (RUS)* |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Afanasiev (RUS)* |||
| 27 September 2000 09:30 | FR Yugoslavia | 10–9 | Hungary | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER) |||
| 27 September 2000 14:30 | Netherlands | 7–11 | Croatia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Balfanbayev (KAZ), Melliar (RSA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Balfanbayev (KAZ), Melliar (RSA) |||
| 27 September 2000 19:15 | Greece | 3–9 | United States | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Tulga (TUR) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Clemencon (FRA), Tulga (TUR) |||

## Classification for 9th-12th

| Team | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Kazakhstan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 18 | +5 | 5 |
| Greece | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 4 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 20 | -1 | 3 |
| Slovakia | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 32 | -8 | 0 |
| 29 September 2000 09:30 | Kazakhstan | 6–6 | Greece | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Schwartz (ISR), Menendez Betancourt (CUB) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Schwartz (ISR), Menendez Betancourt (CUB) |||
| 29 September 2000 10:45 | Slovakia | 8–9 | Netherlands | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bower (AUS), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bower (AUS), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |||
| 30 September 2000 10:00 | Kazakhstan | 11–8 | Slovakia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Melliar (RSA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Melliar (RSA) |||
| 30 September 2000 11:15 | Netherlands | 6–6 | Greece | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Csaszar (HUN) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Klaric (CRO), Csaszar (HUN) |||
| 1 October 2000 9:00 | Slovakia | 8–12 | Greece | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Takata (USA), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Takata (USA), Moradi Shahpar (IRI) |||
| 1 October 2000 10:15 | Kazakhstan | 6–4 | Netherlands | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Menendez Betancourt (CUB), Margeta (SLO) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Menendez Betancourt (CUB), Margeta (SLO) |||

## Knockout stage
### Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Gold medal | Gold medal |
| 29 September | 29 September | | | |
| Russia | 11 | | | |
| Russia | 11 | 30 September | 30 September | | |
| United States | 10 | 30 September | 30 September | |
| United States | 10 | Russia | 8 | |
| 29 September | 29 September | | Russia | 8 | |
| 29 September | 29 September | Spain | 7 | |
| Croatia | 8 | Spain | 7 | |
| Croatia | 8 | | | | 1 October | 1 October |
| Spain | 9 | | | | 1 October | 1 October |
| Spain | 9 | | | | Russia | 6 |
| 29 September | 29 September | | | | | Russia | 6 |
| 29 September | 29 September | | | | Hungary | 13 |
| Italy | 5 | | | | Hungary | 13 |
| Italy | 5 | 30 September | 30 September | | | |
| Hungary | 8 | 30 September | 30 September | | | |
| Hungary | 8 | Hungary | 8 | | | |
| 29 September | 29 September | | Hungary | 8 | | | |
| 29 September | 29 September | Yugoslavia | 7 | | Bronze medal | Bronze medal |
| Yugoslavia | 7 | Yugoslavia | 7 | | Bronze medal | Bronze medal |
| Yugoslavia | 7 | | | | 1 October | 1 October |
| Australia | 3 | | | | 1 October | 1 October |
| Australia | 3 | | | | Yugoslavia | 8 |
| | | | | | Spain | 3 |

#### Fifth place bracket

| 5–8th place semifinals | 5–8th place semifinals | Fifth place | Fifth place |
| 30 September | 30 September |
| United States | 9 |
| United States | 9 | 1 October | 1 October |
| Croatia | 8 | 1 October | 1 October |
| Croatia | 8 | United States | 8 |
| 30 September | 30 September | | United States | 8 |
| 30 September | 30 September | Italy | 10 |
| Italy | 8 | Italy | 10 |
| Australia | 4 | | |
| Australia | 4 | Seventh place | Seventh place |
| | | 1 October | 1 October |
| | | Croatia | 10 |
| | | Australia | 8 |

### Quarterfinals

| 29 September 2000 14:30 | Russia | 11–10 | United States | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Margeta (SLO) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Margeta (SLO) |||
| 29 September 2000 15:45 | Italy | 5–8 | Hungary | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Chasekioglou (GRE) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Chasekioglou (GRE) |||
| 29 September 2000 19:15 | Spain | 9–8 | Croatia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Clemencon (FRA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Prikhodko (KAZ), Clemencon (FRA) |||
| 29 September 2000 20:30 | Australia | 3–7 | FR Yugoslavia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Turcotte (CAN) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Ludecke (GER), Turcotte (CAN) |||

### 5–8th place semifinals

| 30 September 2000 19:00 | United States | 9–8 | Croatia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Clemencon (FRA) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Moliner Molins (ESP), Clemencon (FRA) |||
| 30 September 2000 20:15 | Italy | 8–4 | Australia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Prikhodko (KAZ) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Prikhodko (KAZ) |||

### Semifinals

| 30 September 2000 14:30 | Russia | 8–7 | Spain | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Katochvil (SVK) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Dani (ITA), Katochvil (SVK) |||
| 30 September 2000 15:45 | Hungary | 8–7 | FR Yugoslavia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Kerr (AUS), Ludecke (GER) |||

### Seventh place game

| 1 October 2000 11:30 | Croatia | 10–8 | Australia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Turcotte (CAN) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Boyer (USA), Turcotte (CAN) |||

### Fifth place game

| 1 October 2000 12:45 | United States | 8–10 | Italy | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Ludecke (GER) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Rajevic (YUG), Ludecke (GER) |||

### Bronze medal game

| 1 October 2000 15:00 | Spain | 3–8 | FR Yugoslavia | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Afanasiev (RUS) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Tulga (TUR), Afanasiev (RUS) |||

### Gold medal game

| 1 October 2000 16:15 | Russia | 6–13 | Hungary | Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE) |
| Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre Referees: Bookelman (NED), Chasekioglou (GRE) |||

## Ranking and statistics
### Final rankings

| Rank | Team |
| | Hungary |
| | Russia |
| | FR Yugoslavia |
| 4. | Spain |
| 5. | Italy |
| 6. | United States |
| 7. | Croatia |
| 8. | Australia |
| 9. | Kazakhstan |
| 10. | Greece |
| 11. | Netherlands |
| 12. | Slovakia |
* 2000 Men's Olympic champions
* Hungary Seventh title

### Multi-time Olympians

Six-time Olympian(s): 1 player
* Spain: Manuel Estiarte
Five-time Olympian(s): 2 players
* Greece: George Mavrotas
* Spain: Jordi Sans
Four-time Olympian(s): 4 players
* Greece: Filippos Kaiafas
* Spain: Pedro García, Salvador Gómez, Jesús Rollán (GK)

### Leading goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Team | Goals | Matches played | Goals per match | Shots | % |
| 1 | Aleksandar Šapić | Yugoslavia | 18 | 8 | 2.250 | 50 | 36.0% |
| 2 | Aleksandr Yeryshov | Russia | 17 | 8 | 2.125 | 51 | 33.3% |
| 3 | Chris Humbert | United States | 16 | 8 | 2.000 | 39 | 41.0% |
| 3 | Harry van der Meer | Netherlands | 16 | 8 | 2.000 | 44 | 36.4% |
| 3 | Wolf Wigo | United States | 16 | 8 | 2.000 | 25 | 64.0% |
| 6 | Ioannis Thomakos | Greece | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 30 | 50.0% |
| 7 | Revaz Chomakhidze | Russia | 14 | 8 | 1.750 | 32 | 43.8% |
| 7 | Gergely Kiss | Hungary | 14 | 8 | 1.750 | 24 | 58.3% |
| 9 | Tony Azevedo | United States | 13 | 8 | 1.625 | 40 | 32.5% |
| 10 | Tamás Kásás | Hungary | 12 | 8 | 1.500 | 33 | 36.4% |
| 10 | Daniel Marsden | Australia | 12 | 8 | 1.500 | 40 | 30.0% |
Source: Official Results Book (page 45–92)

### Leading goalkeepers

| Rank | Goalkeeper | Team | Saves | Matches played | Saves per match | Shots | % |
| 1 | Dan Hackett | United States | 70 | 8 | 8.750 | 135 | 51.9% |
| 2 | Arie van de Bunt | Netherlands | 65 | 8 | 8.125 | 140 | 46.4% |
| 3 | Zoltán Kósz | Hungary | 58 | 8 | 7.250 | 112 | 51.8% |
| 3 | Nikolay Maksimov | Russia | 58 | 8 | 7.250 | 99 | 58.6% |
| 3 | Jesús Rollán | Spain | 58 | 8 | 7.250 | 116 | 50.0% |
| 6 | Eddie Denis | Australia | 56 | 8 | 7.000 | 107 | 52.3% |
| 7 | Konstantin Chernov | Kazakhstan | 52 | 8 | 6.500 | 96 | 54.2% |
| 8 | Aleksandar Šoštar | Yugoslavia | 49 | 8 | 6.125 | 85 | 57.6% |
| 9 | Nikolaos Deligiannis | Greece | 48 | 8 | 6.000 | 97 | 49.5% |
| 10 | István Gergely | Slovakia | 44 | 8 | 5.500 | 110 | 40.0% |
Source: Official Results Book (page 45–92)

### Leading sprinters

| Rank | Sprinter | Team | Sprints won | Matches played | Sprints won per match | Sprints contested | % |
| 1 | Brad Schumacher | United States | 20 | 8 | 2.500 | 34 | 58.8% |
| 2 | Aleksandar Ćirić | Yugoslavia | 17 | 8 | 2.125 | 24 | 70.8% |
| 3 | Tamás Kásás | Hungary | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 29 | 51.7% |
| 3 | Nathan Thomas | Australia | 15 | 8 | 1.875 | 19 | 78.9% |
| 5 | Róbert Káid | Slovakia | 12 | 8 | 1.500 | 16 | 75.0% |
| 5 | Ioannis Thomakos | Greece | 12 | 8 | 1.500 | 18 | 66.7% |
| 7 | Roman Balashov | Russia | 11 | 8 | 1.375 | 15 | 73.3% |
| 8 | Milan Cipov | Slovakia | 10 | 8 | 1.250 | 12 | 83.3% |
| 8 | Alberto Ghibellini | Italy | 10 | 8 | 1.250 | 16 | 62.5% |
| 8 | Sergi Pedrerol | Spain | 10 | 8 | 1.250 | 27 | 37.0% |
Source: Official Results Book (page 44)