By Bruce Wigo
BEIJING, China, August 11. THE transformation of China as an international economic and political powerhouse in the last 20 years has been nothing short of remarkable. The transformation of China as power in women's water polo has been even more amazing.
The Chinese made their Olympic debut tonight in women's water polo and nearly pulled off one of the most incredible upsets in sports history. Consider this. China made its international debut in women's water polo competition less than four years ago and entered this Olympic competition with a team that is a true FINA women's "Junior" team. There is not one girl on the Chinese roster older than 21 and the average age is just 19. Yet they outplayed and nearly beat, could have beat and should have beat the best women's water polo team in the World tonight at Yindong Natatorium, in Beijing.
Supported by a boisterous home town crowd, the Chinese girls had leads of 2 -1, 3 – 2, 4 – 3 and , 5 – 3, before the USA grabbed an 8 -7 lead, on a Brittany Hayes goal with :14 left in the first half. Moriah van Norman appeared to put the USA in control with a goal early in the third quarter, but China fought back to grab an 11-10 lead with 5:46 left in the game. Kami Craig tied the game with a power play goal at 5:07 and World Player of the Year, Lauren Wenger scored what proved to be the game winner at 3:32, on another power play goal.
The final three minutes were frantic in the pool and in the stands, where the crowd was on its feet with their vocal cords rattling. The furious and desperate play of the Chinese nearly sent the game into overtime. Aided by the referee's calling offensive turnover fouls against the Americans, and allowing aggressive steals, the Chinese took four shots, two of which hit the posts. With :08 left, the Chinese stole the ball again and called time-out, but the U.S. was able to survive with the win.
How did the Chinese move so far so fast? The mastermind of China's rise is coach Juan Jane. Jane has always believed in youth, possibly because he was one of the youngest players ever to play in international men's water polo, starring for the Spanish national team at 15 years of age. Later, as the coach of the Spanish men's team, Jane won the Olympic silver medal in 1992 and gold medal in 1996. After disappointment in 2004, the Spanish abandoned him. He coached club ball in Spain for a year before the Chinese called. Tonight, Jane's team showed a stifling zone defense, reminiscent of the small and quick Spanish men's teams of the 1990's – and Jane's girls almost pulled of an upset for the ages. Most telling was in number of turnover fouls called in the game, 25. Seventeen of them went against the USA, while only eight were called against the Olympic hosts. The number of lost offensive sets was telling in the fact that the Chinese out-shot the USA 31 – 20. In no other game in the tournament so far, men or women, were these statistics so one sided. It's a testament both to Jane's coaching and to the American girls, in that they were able to overcome these statistics and still come away with the win.
It won't be easy for Jane's girls as Group A is this year's killer bracket. Next up for them is Russia, the defending European Champion and the one team in the group that can match their speed. Earlier tonight Russia lost to Italy, the defending Olympic champion, by the score of 9 – 8. Tania di Mario scored the game winner with 2 minutes left in the match.
The USA plays Italy next.
In Group B, Hungary defeated the Netherlands, 11 – 9, while Center Forward Gemma Beadsworth scored three goals in the first three and a half minutes in leading a young Australian team over Greece, 8 – 6.
