Anni Espar

Anna Espar Llaquet (born January 8, 1993) is a Spanish female water polo player who won the gold medal at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.[1]

Anni Espar
Personal information
Birth nameAnna Espar Llaquet
NationalitySpanish
Born (1993-01-08) January 8, 1993
Barcelona, Spain
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight145 lb (66 kg)
Sport
Country Spain
SportWater polo
College teamUSC Trojans
ClubCN Mataró
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Espar and the second or maternal family name is Llaquet.

College career

Espar joined the University of Southern California women's water polo team in 2012.[2] As a Freshman she was named to the ACWPC All-America First Team,[3] All-MPSF First Team,[4] MPSF All-Newcomer Team[4] and MPSF Player of the Week on 25 February after scoring 8 goals in her first major tournament as a Trojan.[5]

In 2013, she won the NCAA in the longest match in championship game history.[6] Espar scored the winning goal in the third sudden-death overtime period.[7]

International Career

Espar also played on the Spain national team which won the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[8] She scored 15 goals and was named to the Olympic All-Star Team.[8]

In 2012 Espar was named Best European Female Water Polo Player by the LEN.[9]

Espar joined the Sidney Uni Lions women's water polo team in 2017 winning the Australian League and ending with an unprecedented undefeated season for the Lions (23 wins and a draw in 24 matches). Espar was also named to the 2017 NWPL All Star Team.[10]

Family

Espar's younger sister, Clara, is also a professional water polo player.

International competitions
  • 2011 FINA Junior World Championships, Trieste, Italy, 1st place.[11]
  • 2012 Olympic Games, London, United Kingdom, 2nd place.
  • 2013 FINA World Championships, Barcelona, Spain, 1st place.
  • 2013 FINA Junior World Championships, Volos, Greece, 2nd place.[12]
  • 2014 European Championship, Budapest, Hungary. 1st place.[13]
  • 2014 FINA World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 3rd place.[14]
  • 2016 FINA World League, Shanghai, China, 2nd place.[15]
  • 2017 FINA World Championships, Budapest, Hungary, 2nd place.[16]
  • 2018 LEN Europa Cup, Pontevedra, Spain, 3rd place.
  • 2018 Mediterranean Games, Tarragona, Spain, 1st place.[17]
  • 2018 European Championship, Barcelona, Spain, 3rd place.
  • 2019 FINA World Championships, Gwangju, South Korea, 2nd place.[18]

References
  1. "Spain first to claim gold at home" Archived 2019-06-04 at the Wayback Machine waterpoloworld.com August 2, 2013.
  2. Anni Espar Archived 2013-08-26 at the Wayback Machine– University of Southern California athlete profile at USCtrojans.com
  3. "Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches 2013 All-American Teams" collegewaterpolocoach.org July, 2013.
  4. "All-MPSF Women's Water Polo" Archived 2015-09-11 at the Wayback Machine mpsports.org May 1, 2013
  5. "USC Wins UC Irvine Tournament" Archived 2015-09-11 at the Wayback Machine mpsports.org February 25, 2013.
  6. "USC Outlasts Stanford 10-9 In Five Overtimes To Claim 2013 NCAA Championship" usawaterpolo.org May 12, 2013.
  7. "Espar scores in third sudden death to secure third national title for USC" Archived 2017-05-24 at the Wayback Machine ncaa.com June 9, 2013.
  8. "USA Women Win GOLD! Team USA Tops Spain 8-5 In Olympic Games Final" Archived 2017-07-30 at the Wayback Machine usawaterpolo.org August 9, 2012.
  9. "Boskovic and Espar European Players of the Year" Archived 2019-08-17 at the Wayback Machine waterpoloworld.com October 24, 2012.
  10. "SYDNEY LIONS CLAIM BACK TO BACK NWPL TITLES" waterpoloaustralia.com.au April 9, 2017.
  11. "Spain on the top of the world" Archived 2011-09-24 at the Wayback Machine fina.org September 18, 2011.
  12. "USA takes gold after 9-7 win over Spain" Archived 2013-08-27 at the Wayback Machine fina.org August 25, 2013.
  13. "World champions Spain also claim European Title" Archived 2019-05-26 at the Wayback Machine waterpoloworld.com July 24, 2014.
  14. "USA retains World Cup crown with repeat win over Australia" fina.org August 17, 2014.
  15. "USA crowned World League Champion for third consecutive year" fina.org June 12, 2016.
  16. "Day 7 Women's Water Polo: USA rolls Spain for fifth world crown" fina.org July 28, 2017.
  17. “Serbia and Spain reign the Mediterranean” waterpology.com July 1, 2018.
  18. "Day 7: Women's Water Polo: USA shoots down Spain for historic sixth crown". FINA.org. 26 July 2019.
Awards
Preceded by
Alexandra Asimaki		 LEN European Water Polo Player of the Year
2012		 Succeeded by
Jennifer Pareja
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