# Water polo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament

The women's water polo tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London was held from 30 July to 9 August at the Water Polo Arena.
Teams from eight nations competed in the tournament and have been seeded into two groups for the preliminary round. A total of 24 games were played, 12 of them in the preliminary round.

## Format

The tournament featured eight teams, separated into two groups of four teams. Each team played the other three teams in its pool once in a round-robin format. All eight teams advanced to the quarterfinal stage where they were seeded and played against a team from the other group.
The winners of the quarterfinal games moved on to the semifinals, while the quarterfinal losers played a series of classification games. The semifinal winners played in the gold medal game, while the losers played each other for the bronze.

## Preliminary round

All times are BST (UTC+1).

### Group A

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 26 | +7 | 5 |
| United States | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 28 | +2 | 5 |
| Hungary | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 37 | −2 | 2 |
| China | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 29 | −7 | 0 |
| 30 July 2012 14:10 | Report | Spain | 11–6 | China | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Alan Balfanbayev (KAZ), Cory Williams (NZL) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Alan Balfanbayev (KAZ), Cory Williams (NZL) |||
| 30 July 2012 14:10 | Report | Espar 3 | Goals | Ma Huanhuan 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Alan Balfanbayev (KAZ), Cory Williams (NZL) |
| 30 July 2012 19:40 | Report | Hungary | 13–14 | United States | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Denis Danelon (BRA) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Denis Danelon (BRA) |||
| 30 July 2012 19:40 | Report | Bujka 4 | Goals | Steffens 7 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Denis Danelon (BRA) |
| 1 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Hungary | 11–10 | China | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |||
| 1 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Szűcs 4 | Goals | four players 2 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |
| 1 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Spain | 9–9 | United States | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Anton Bervoets (NED) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Anton Bervoets (NED) |||
| 1 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Pareja 4 | Goals | Craig 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Anton Bervoets (NED) |
| 3 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Spain | 13–11 | Hungary | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |||
| 3 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Espar 3 | Goals | Antal 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Svetlana Dreval (RUS) |
| 3 August 2012 19:40 | Report | China | 6–7 | United States | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Marijo Brguljan (MNE) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Marijo Brguljan (MNE) |||
| 3 August 2012 19:40 | Report | Sun Yating, Ma Huanhuan 2 | Goals | Steffens 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Marijo Brguljan (MNE) |

### Group B

| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 19 | +18 | 6 |
| Russia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 4 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 2 |
| Great Britain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 33 | −19 | 0 |
| 30 July 2012 15:30 | Report | Italy | 8–10 | Australia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Steven Rotsart (USA), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Steven Rotsart (USA), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |||
| 30 July 2012 15:30 | Report | Di Mario, Radicchi 2 | Goals | Gynther 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Steven Rotsart (USA), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |
| 30 July 2012 18:20 | Report | Great Britain | 6–7 | Russia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Ni Shiwei (CHN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Ni Shiwei (CHN) |||
| 30 July 2012 18:20 | Report | Winstanley-Smith 3 | Goals | Beliaeva, Prokofyeva 2 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Ni Shiwei (CHN) |
| 1 August 2012 15:30 | Report | Italy | 4–7 | Russia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Sergi Sanchez (ESP), German Moller (ARG) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Sergi Sanchez (ESP), German Moller (ARG) |||
| 1 August 2012 15:30 | Report | Di Mario 2 | Goals | Lisunova 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Sergi Sanchez (ESP), German Moller (ARG) |
| 1 August 2012 19:40 | Report | Great Britain | 3–16 | Australia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Gus Pinker (RSA), Denis Danelon (BRA) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Gus Pinker (RSA), Denis Danelon (BRA) |||
| 1 August 2012 19:40 | Report | Wilcox 2 | Goals | Webster 5 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Gus Pinker (RSA), Denis Danelon (BRA) |
| 3 August 2012 15:30 | Report | Russia | 8–11 | Australia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalja (CRO), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalja (CRO), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |||
| 3 August 2012 15:30 | Report | Lisunova 3 | Goals | Gynther 2 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalja (CRO), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |
| 3 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Great Britain | 5–10 | Italy | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: German Moller (ARG), Kazuhiko Makita (JPN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: German Moller (ARG), Kazuhiko Makita (JPN) |||
| 3 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Gibson-Byrne 2 | Goals | Emmolo, Di Mario 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: German Moller (ARG), Kazuhiko Makita (JPN) |

## Final round
### Final bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Gold medal match | Gold medal match | Gold medal match |
| A1 | Spain | 9 | | | | | | |
| B4 | Great Britain | 7 | | | | | | |
| B4 | Great Britain | 7 | A1 | Spain | 10 | | | |
| | | | A3 | Hungary | 9 | | | |
| A3 | Hungary | 11 | A3 | Hungary | 9 | | | |
| B2 | Russia | 10 | | | | | | |
| B2 | Russia | 10 | | | | | Spain | 5 |
| | | | | | | | United States | 8 |
| A2 | United States | 9 | | | | | | | United States | 8 |
| B3 | Italy | 6 | | | |
| B3 | Italy | 6 | A2 | United States | 11 | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| | | | B1 | Australia | 9 |
| A4 | China | 18 | B1 | Australia | 9 | | Australia | 13 |
| B1 | Australia (PSO) | 20 | | | | 4 | Hungary | 11 |

### 5th place bracket

| 5th–8th place classification | 5th–8th place classification | 5th place match | 5th place match |
| Russia | 11 |
| Great Britain | 9 | | |
| Great Britain | 9 | China | 16 |
| | | Russia | 15 |
| Italy | 10 | Russia | 15 |
| China | 14 | | |
| China | 14 | 7th place match | 7th place match |
| | | Italy | 11 |
| | | Great Britain | 7 |

### Quarterfinals

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 5 August 2012 14:50 | Report | Hungary | 11–10 | Russia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Marijo Mrguljan (MNE) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Marijo Mrguljan (MNE) |||
| 5 August 2012 14:50 | Report | four players 2 | Goals | Ivanova 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Massimiliano Caputi (ITA), Marijo Mrguljan (MNE) |
| 5 August 2012 16:10 | Report | China | 18–20 | Australia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |||
| 5 August 2012 16:10 | Report | Ma Huanhuan 4 | Goals | Ralph, Zagame 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |
| 5 August 2012 19:00 | Report | United States | 9–6 | Italy | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |||
| 5 August 2012 19:00 | Report | Seidemann 3 | Goals | Di Mario 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Mihajlo Ćirić (SRB) |
| 5 August 2012 20:20 | Report | Spain | 9–7 | Great Britain | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Cory Williams (NZL), Gus Pinker (RSA) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Cory Williams (NZL), Gus Pinker (RSA) |||
| 5 August 2012 20:20 | Report | Miranda, Espar 2 | Goals | Painter-Snell 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Cory Williams (NZL), Gus Pinker (RSA) |

### 5th–8th place classification

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 7 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Italy | 10–14 | China | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Svetlana Dreval (RUS), Anton Bervoets (NED) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Svetlana Dreval (RUS), Anton Bervoets (NED) |||
| 7 August 2012 14:10 | Report | Di Mario 4 | Goals | six players 2 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Svetlana Dreval (RUS), Anton Bervoets (NED) |
| 7 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Russia | 11–9 | Great Britain | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Denis Danelon (BRA), German Moller (ARG) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Denis Danelon (BRA), German Moller (ARG) |||
| 7 August 2012 18:20 | Report | Prokofyeva 4 | Goals | Wilcox, Painter-Snell 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Denis Danelon (BRA), German Moller (ARG) |

### Semifinals

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 7 August 2012 15:30 | Report | United States | 11–9 | Australia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Ulrich Spiegel (GER), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Ulrich Spiegel (GER), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |||
| 7 August 2012 15:30 | Report | Steffens 4 | Goals | Southern 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Ulrich Spiegel (GER), Marie Deslieres (CAN) |
| 7 August 2012 19:40 | Report | Hungary | 9–10 | Spain | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalija (CRO), Massimiliano Caputi (ITA) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalija (CRO), Massimiliano Caputi (ITA) |||
| 7 August 2012 19:40 | Report | three players 2 | Goals | Espar 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Dragan Stampalija (CRO), Massimiliano Caputi (ITA) |

### 7th place match

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 9 August 2012 14:30 | Report | Italy | 11–7 | Great Britain | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |||
| 9 August 2012 14:30 | Report | Di Mario 4 | Goals | McCann, Clayton 2 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Daniel Flahive (AUS), Gyorgy Juhasz (HUN) |

### 5th place match

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 9 August 2012 15:50 | Report | China | 16–15 | Russia | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Steven Rotsart (USA) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Steven Rotsart (USA) |||
| 9 August 2012 15:50 | Report | Ma Huanhuan 6 | Goals | Fedotova, Antonova 4 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Brian Littlejohn (GBR), Steven Rotsart (USA) |

### Bronze medal match

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 9 August 2012 18:40 | Report | Australia | 13–11 | Hungary | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |||
| 9 August 2012 18:40 | Report | Beadsworth 4 | Goals | Keszthelyi 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Dragan Stampalija (CRO) |

### Gold medal match

All times are BST (UTC+1).
| 9 August 2012 20:25 | Report | United States | 8–5 | Spain | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Georgios Stavridis (GRE) |
| Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Georgios Stavridis (GRE) |||
| 9 August 2012 20:25 | Report | Steffens 5 | Goals | Pareja 3 | Water Polo Arena, London Referees: Marie Deslieres (CAN), Georgios Stavridis (GRE) |

## Ranking and statistics
### Final ranking

| Rank | Team |
| | United States |
| | Spain |
| | Australia |
| 4 | Hungary |
| 5 | China |
| 6 | Russia |
| 7 | Italy |
| 8 | Great Britain |
* 2012 Women's Olympic champions
* United States First title

### Multi-time Olympians

Four-time Olympian(s): 3 players
* Russia: Sofia Konukh
* United States: Heather Petri, Brenda Villa
Three-time Olympian(s): 6 players
* Australia: Kate Gynther, Melissa Rippon
* Hungary: Rita Drávucz
* Italy: Tania Di Mario, Elena Gigli (GK), Anikó Pelle

### Multiple medalists

Four-time Olympic medalist(s): 2 players
* United States: Heather Petri, Brenda Villa

### Top goalscorers

| Rank | Name | Goals | Shots | % |
| 1 | Maggie Steffens | 21 | 27 | 78 |
| 2 | Ma Huanhuan | 19 | 53 | 36 |
| 3 | Tania Di Mario | 18 | 45 | 40 |
| 4 | Anni Espar | 15 | 41 | 37 |
| 5 | Nicola Zagame | 12 | 16 | 75 |
| 5 | Barbara Bujka | 12 | 26 | 46 |
| 5 | Dóra Antal | 12 | 32 | 37 |
| 5 | Ashleigh Southern | 12 | 32 | 37 |
| 5 | Gabriella Szűcs | 12 | 32 | 37 |
| 5 | Jennifer Pareja | 12 | 34 | 35 |
| 5 | Rowie Webster | 12 | 42 | 29 |

## Medallists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| United States (USA) Elizabeth Armstrong Heather Petri Melissa Seidemann Brenda Villa Lauren Wenger Maggie Steffens Courtney Mathewson Jessica Steffens Elsie Windes Kelly Rulon Annika Dries Kami Craig Tumuaialii Anae Head coach: Adam Krikorian | Spain (ESP) Laura Ester Marta Bach Anni Espar Roser Tarragó Matilde Ortiz Jennifer Pareja Lorena Miranda Pilar Peña Andrea Blas Ona Meseguer Maica García Laura López Ana Copado Head coach: Miki Oca | Australia (AUS) Victoria Brown Gemma Beadsworth Sophie Smith Holly Lincoln-Smith Jane Moran Bronwen Knox Rowena Webster Kate Gynther Glencora Ralph Ashleigh Southern Melissa Rippon Nicola Zagame Alicia McCormack Head coach: Greg McFadden |

## Awards

The women's all-star team was announced on 9 August 2012.

### Most Valuable Player

* Maggie Steffens (21 goals)

### Media All-Star Team

* Goalkeeper
** Elizabeth Armstrong (53 saves)
* Field players
** Barbara Bujka (centre forward, left-handed, 12 goals)
** Anni Espar (15 goals)
** Holly Lincoln-Smith (centre back, 5 goals)
** Jennifer Pareja (12 goals, 21 sprints won)
** Maggie Steffens (21 goals)
** Nicola Zagame (12 goals, 4 sprints won)