Russia women's national water polo team

In the Russian Empire

Water polo in Russia dates back to 1910, when the sport was included into the national water sports programme. The Shuvalov school was opened back then, featuring rules that differed from the international rules. In 1913, the first water polo tournament was played between the Shuvalov school and Moscow, with the first winning 3-2. The new sport progressed in Russia, as all swimming organizations included this sport into their programme. P. Erofeev and A. Shemansky further populized water polo by publishing brochures with rules and hints.^[1]

In the Soviet Union

As previously, water polo was predominant in Moscow and Leningrad (formerly known as St. Petersburg). However, this changed when the water polo teams of the Black Sea Fleet, Baltic Fleet and Caspian Flotilla further spread water polo in Russia. In the early history, water polo was popular especially among sailors. The strongest teams were Delfin of Leningrad and the Moscow Life Saving Society and the Yacht-Club. Following the resolution by the organizing bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1925, physical culture has been greatly propagated in Russia, stimulating water polo as well.^[2]

The first championship took place in 1925. Apart from the teams of Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev, the tournament featured teams from the Caucasus, Crimea, Ural, as well as the aforementioned fleet teams. Three years later, water polo was included in the All-Union Spartakiade (sports festival). The team of Leningrad dominated in Russian water polo until 1933, as the city had winter water pools and so had more training opportunities. In 1946, the USSR Water Polo Cup was introduced. One year later, the Soviet Union was selected into the FINA. The national water polo then debuted at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Helsinki.^[2]

Current squad

Roster for the 2018 Women's European Water Polo Championship.^[3]

Head coach: Alexander Gaidukov

No	Name	Date of birth	Position	L/R	Height	Weight	Club
1	Anastasia Verkhoglyadova	(1995-06-12) 12 June 1995	Goalkeeper	R	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)	62 kg (137 lb)	Spartak Volgograd
2	Veronika Vakhitova	(1998-06-13) 13 June 1998	Defender	R	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	72 kg (159 lb)	Dinamo SKIF CSP
3	Ekaterina Prokofyeva	(1991-03-13) 13 March 1991	Field player	R	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)	70 kg (150 lb)	Kinef Kirishi
4	Elvina Karimova	(1994-03-25) 25 March 1994	Wing	R	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)	62 kg (137 lb)	Uralochka Zlatoust
5	Maria Borisova	(1997-07-28) 28 July 1997	Defender	R	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	95 kg (209 lb)	Dinamo SKIF CSP
6	Olga Gorbunova	(1993-08-27) 27 August 1993	Wing	R	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)	61 kg (134 lb)	Spartak Volgograd
7	Alena Serzhantova	(1998-05-06) 6 May 1998	Field player	R	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)	72 kg (159 lb)	Dinamo SKIF CSP
8	Anastasia Simanovich	(1995-01-23) 23 January 1995	Centre forward	R	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)	70 kg (150 lb)	Kinef Kirishi
9	Anna Timofeeva (C)	(1987-07-18) 18 July 1987	Centre forward	R	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	87 kg (192 lb)	WC Yugra
10	Nataliya Churzina	(1991-05-28) 28 May 1991	Defender	R	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)	73 kg (161 lb)	Spartak Volgograd
11	Evgeniya Ivanova	(1987-07-26) 26 July 1987	Wing	R	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)	70 kg (150 lb)	Kinef Kirishi
12	Daria Ryzhkova	(1995-02-08) 8 February 1995	Field player	R	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)	62 kg (137 lb)	Kinef Kirishi
13	Anna Karnaukh	(1993-08-31) 31 August 1993	Goalkeeper	R	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)	61 kg (134 lb)	Kinef Kirishi

Past squads

• 1999 European Championship — Bronze medal

• Marina Akobia, Natalia Koutouzova, Sofia Konukh, Maria Koroleva, Svetlana Kouzina, Yuliya Petrova, Tatiana Petrova, Galina Rytova, Elena Smurova, Elena Tokoun, Irina Tolkounova and Ekaterina Vassilieva. Head Coach: Sergei Frolov.

• 2000 Olympic Games — Bronze medal

• Marina Akobia, Ekaterina Anikeeva, Natalia Koutouzova, Sofia Konukh, Maria Koroleva, Svetlana Kouzina, Yuliya Petrova, Tatiana Petrova, Galina Rytova, Elena Smurova, Elena Tokoun, Irina Tolkounova and Ekaterina Vassilieva. Head Coach: Sergei Frolov.

• 2001 European Championship — Bronze medal

• Marina Akobia, Galina Ritova, Valentina Voroncova, Svetlana Kouzina, Veronika Linkova, Olga Kallkova, Maria Yaina, Yekatyerina Szolotko, Anna Klocskova, Irina Tolkunova, Yekaterina Salimova, Anastassia Zoubkova, Tatiana Petrova, Natalia Shepelina and Natalya Kutuzova. Head Coach: Sergei Frolov.

• 2003 World Championship — Bronze medal

• Svetlana Bogdanova, Sofia Konukh, Veronika Linkova, Tatiana Petrova, Yekaterina Salimova, Natalya Shepelina, Ekaterina Shishova, Elena Smurova, Olga Turova, Valentina Voronisova, Maria Yaina, Galina Zlotnikova and Anastassia Zoubkova. Head Coach: Yury Mitianin.

• 2006 European Championship — Gold medal

• Olga Fomicheva, Yulia Gaufler, Nadezda Glyzina, Evgeniya Ivanova, Sofia Konukh, Ekaterina Kuzbetsova, Ekaterina Pantyulina, Evgenia Protsenko, Natalya Ryzhova-Alenicheva, Natalya Shepelina, Elena Smurova, Ekaterina Tankeyeva, Aleksandra Vorobeva, Alena Vylegzhanina and Anastasia Zubkova. Head Coach: Alexander Kleymenov.

• 2007 World Championship — Bronze medal

• Olga Fomicheva, Nadezda Glyzina, Sofia Konukh, Maria Kovtunovskaya, Ekaterina Pantyulina, Natalya Ryzhova-Alenicheva, Natalya Shepelina, Elena Smurova, Evgenia Soboleva, Valentina Vorontsova, Alena Vylegzhanina, Ekaterina Zubacheva and Anastasia Zubkova. Head Coach: Alexander Kleymenov.

• 2008 FINA Olympic Qualifying Tournament — Silver medal

• Olga Belyaeva, Nadezda Glyzina, Sofia Konukh, Ekaterina Pantyulina, Natalya Shepelina, Ekaterina Prokofyeva, Evgeniya Protsenko, Evgenia Soboleva, Elena Smurova, Anna Timofeyeva, Valentina Vorontsova, Alena Vylegzhanina and Anastasia Zubkova. Head Coach: Alexander Kleymenov.

• 2008 European Championship — Gold medal

• Valentina Vorontsova, Natalia Shepelina, Ekaterina Prokofyeva, Sofia Konukh, Alena Vylegzhanina, Nadezda Glyzina, Ekaterina Pantyulina, Evgenia Soboleva, Oleksandra Karpovich, Olga Belyaeva, Elena Smurova, Olga Turova and Evgeniya Protsenko. Head Coach: Alexander Kleymenov.

• 2015 European Games — Gold medal

• Maria Bersneva, Anastasia Fedotova, Daria Gerzanich, Evgenia Golovina, Anna Isakova, Polina Kempf, Bella Khamzaeva (c), Elena Kotanchyan, Alena Serzhantova, Svetlana Stepakhina, Veronika Vakhitova, Elizaveta Zaplatina, Aleksandra Zelenkovskaya. Coaches: Andrei Belofastov, Alexander Fedoseev.