In the team sport of water polo, two teams of seven players each compete in a pool of water, with no player allowed to touch the bottom. The teams try to score goals by tossing the ball into the goal of the opposition during each of the game's four quarters, and so the team with the most goals wins.
Originally, there were two types of water polo; one was prominent in the United States and the other was in Europe; however, the former was a far rougher version in comparison to the latter, which was faster and more logical; thus, it prevailed globally. It debuted at the 1900 Summer Olympics and has appeared in every Olympic schedule since, with the exception of 1906.
The sport falls under aquatics, like swimming, diving, etc., and is therefore governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA). Women's events were added in the late 1980s and were added to the Olympic schedule at the 2000 Sydney Games.
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The List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in Water Polo
The United States is second in the all-time medal table, with 20 NOCs having won at least one medal. The United States has 15 medals, four of which are gold, while Italy has 10 medals and four golds. American athletes Brenda Villa and Heather Petri, each have four Olympic medals, including one gold, and Melissa Seidemann and Maggie Steffens are first in the gold medal count with three each.
Hungarian water polo players have been the greatest by far, since they never missed an Olympic medal in the sport between 1928 and 1980, and the nation has a total of 17 medals, including nine golds, having the all-time lead.
The list of Olympic medalists for Team USA in water polo is as follows:
| Year | Event | Names | Medal |
| 1904 | Water Polo, Men | David Bratton, George Van Cleaf, Budd Goodwin, Lou Handley, David Hesser, Joe Ruddy, James Steen | Gold |
| 1904 | Water Polo, Men | Rex Beach, Jerome Steever, Edwin Swatek, Charles Healy, Frank Kehoe, David Hammond, Bill Tuttle | Silver |
| 1904 | Water Polo, Men | John Meyers, Manfred Toeppen, Gwynne Evans, Amedee Reyburn, Frank Schreiner, Gus Goessling, Bill Orthwein | Bronze |
| 1924 | Water Polo, Men | Fred Lauer, Oliver Horn, George Mitchell, George Schroth, Herb Vollmer, Johnny Weissmuller, Art Austin, John Norton, Wally O'Connor | Bronze |
| 1932 | Water Polo, Men | Herb Wildman, Cal Strong, Charley Finn, Harold McCallister, Phil Daubenspeck, Austin Clapp, Wally O'Connor | Bronze |
| 1972 | Water Polo, Men | Jim Slatton, Stan Cole, Russ Webb, Barry Weitzenberg, Gary Sheerer, Bruce Bradley, Peter Asch, Jim Ferguson, Steve Barnett, John Parker, Eric Lindroth | Bronze |
| 1984 | Water Polo, Men | Craig Wilson, Kevin Robertson, Gary Figueroa, Peter Campbell, Doug Burke, Joe Vargas, Jon Svendsen, John Siman, Drew McDonald, Terry Schroeder, Jody Campbell, Tim Shaw, Chris Dorst | Silver |
| 1988 | Water Polo, Men | Craig Wilson, Kevin Robertson, James Bergeson, Peter Campbell, Doug Kimbell, Craig Klass, Alan Mouchawar, Jeff Campbell, Greg Boyer, Terry Schroeder, Jody Campbell, Chris Duplanty, Mike Evans | Silver |
| 2000 | Water Polo, Women | Robin Beauregard, Ellen Estes, Courtney Johnson, Ericka Lorenz, Heather Moody, Mo O'Toole, Bernice Orwig, Nicolle Payne, Heather Petri, Kathy Sheehy, Coralie Simmons, Julie Swail, Brenda Villa | Silver |
| 2004 | Water Polo, Women | Robin Beauregard, Margie Dingeldein, Ellen Estes, Jacqueline Frank, Natalie Golda, Ericka Lorenz, Heather Moody, Thalia Munro, Heather Petri, Kelly Rulon, Amber Stachowski, Brenda Villa | Bronze |
| 2008 | Water Polo, Men | Tony Azevedo, Ryan Bailey, Layne Beaubien, Brandon Brooks, Peter Hudnut, Tim Hutten, J. W. Krumpholz, Rick Merlo, Merrill Moses, Jeff Powers, Jesse Smith, Peter Varellas, Adam Wright | Silver |
| 2008 | Water Polo, Women | Betsey Armstrong, Patty Cardenas, Kami Craig, Natalie Golda, Alison Gregorka, Brittany Hayes, Jaime Hipp, Heather Petri, Jessica Steffens, Moriah Van Norman, Brenda Villa, Lauren Wenger, Elsie Windes | Silver |
| 2012 | Water Polo, Women | Betsey Armstrong, Heather Petri, Melissa Seidemann, Brenda Villa, Lauren Wenger, Maggie Steffens, Courtney Mathewson, Jessica Steffens, Elsie Windes, Kelly Rulon, Annika Dries, Kami Craig | Gold |
| 2016 | Water Polo, Women | Maddie Musselman, Melissa Seidemann, Rachel Fattal, KK Clark, Maggie Steffens, Courtney Mathewson, Kiley Neushul, Aria Fischer, Kaleigh Gilchrist, Makenzie Fischer, Kami Craig, Sami Hill, Ashleigh Johnson | Gold |
| 2020 | Water Polo, Women | Ashleigh Johnson, Maddie Musselman, Melissa Seidemann, Rachel Fattal, Paige Hauschild, Maggie Steffens, Stephania Haralabidis, Jamie Neushul, Aria Fischer, Kaleigh Gilchrist, Makenzie Fischer, Alys Williams, Amanda Longan | Gold |
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FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Water Polo
A. Yes, water polo has been an Olympic sport since the 1904 Summer Olympics.
A. The athletes of the water polo are known as perimeter players.
A. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the water polo events will be held at the Paris Aquatic Centre for the preliminary phase and the Paris La Défense Arena for the final phase.
A. Hungary is leading the medal standings with a total of 17 medals, including nine golds; followed by the USA with 15 total and four golds.
A. Yes, women's events were added at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
