Players compete fiercely in a water polo competition. [Photo/hangzhou2022.cn]

The 2023 "Exciting Hangzhou" National Women's Water Polo Championship came to a close at the Huanglong Sports Center Swimming and Diving Hall on May 17, as team Tianjin defeated team Fujian 11-10 in the finals.

Over the course of five days, seven teams delivered spectacular performances, showcasing the highest level of Chinese women's water polo. Meanwhile, the Huanglong Swimming and Diving Hall provided a full-process rehearsal for athletes participating in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Despite fierce competitions, players and coaches enjoyed the experience of competing in the Asian Games venue.

Li Peiyang, captain of the defending champion team Tianjin, expressed her satisfaction with the venue, praising the enthusiastic spectators and the suitable water temperature and quality. Salvador Gomez, the Spanish coach of Fujian team, remarked on the impressive professional lighting in the venue, which created a remarkable atmosphere for the matches.

Gomez was also the coach of the Chinese women's water polo team during the Tokyo Olympics, where they finished eighth. In his opinion, China still has many outstanding water polo athletes and possesses vast potential for development in the future.

As for the venue management, Shen Jian, deputy director of the Huanglong Sports Center, stated that the operations team had fully warmed up for the Games through the competition. Overall performance was satisfactory, and they would promptly review any minor issues that arose and make improvements accordingly.

Salvador Gomez, the Spanish coach of team Fujian. [Photo/hangzhou2022.cn]