Live stream: Watch U18, U14 medal matches at Australian Youth Water Polo Championships

Sydney University showed off their incredible playing depth while a visiting US side grabbed the girls headlines on an intriguing U14, U18 finals day at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships.

Sydney University cleaned up the main male titles as the first week of the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships finished in style in Brisbane on Wednesday.

The NSW powerhouse took home the U18 boys gold title for the fifth year in a row after proving too strong for Queensland surprise packets Sunshine Coast 19-7.

Head coach Dragan Brakic was delighted.

“Coming here I was hoping to win, we prepared really well and this is the best team I’ve ever coached because I couldn’t tell you who my best player or worst player is.”

Earlier in the day, the Sydney Uni U14 boys side bounced back from a slow start to secure a 7-4 win over Ryde Rhinos and take the U14 boys gold crown for the second year in a row.

Attacking gun Reef Potter added to his Youth World Championships resume scoring another five goals in Sydney Uni’s U14 title success.

The 13-year-old, who has been playing water polo for seven years, said he was proud of his side’s efforts.

HOW US SIDE BECAME TOAST OF AUSSIE WATER POLO

Polo Bears got blown out the pool in the U18 girls decider. Pic: Liam Kidston

“I played in the top age last year, so the rest of that team moved up, but to go back-to-back with a completely new team is very special,” he said.

“It’s a great team, a great group of boys with plenty of talent and it was just a great tournament.”

US visitors MATS Polo took the U18 girls gold title, much to the surprise of coach John Roemer.

“I told them all that we were here to have fun and to experience the culture,” he said.

“I didn’t expect to go this far but the way they get along out of the pool is a key reason for their success in this tournament and it’s been another great experience.”

Meanwhile, UQ Barras erased their seventh placed finish in 2023, overcoming local rivals Mermaids Pink 9-7 in the U14 girls gold decider.

MATS Polo will head back to the US in a good frame of mind. Pic: Liam Kidston

“We knew we had a bit of a lead but we had to execute our plan well in the final quarter and that’s where the girls got a bit too nervous and a bit too excited towards the end,” said UQ head coach Uros Kralj.

“That just comes down to experience, but throughout the game they were in front and played really well as a team.

“In the local competition we played the Mermaids twice this season and they beat us both times, so to achieve this is such a great relief and I’m so proud of this team.”

REPLAYS

INDOOR POOL

Sunshine Coast v Sydney Uni Lions (18&U boys gold, gold medal)

Polo Bears Ice v MATS (18&U girls gold, gold medal)

Sydney Uni Lions v Ryde Rhinos (14&U boys gold, gold medal)

Mermaids Pink v UQ Barras (14&U girls gold, gold medal)

OUTDOOR POOL

Nordek v Sydney University Gold (14&U boys green, gold medal)

Polo Bears v Sunshine Coast (14&U boys green, bronze medal)

Ovens and Murray v Triton (18&U boys green, gold medal

Sea Wolf v Tasmania (18&U boys green, bronze medal)

Melville Marlins v Hunter Hurricanes (14&U girls gold, bronze medal)

UWA Bears v ACU Cronulla Sharks (14&U boys gold, bronze medal)

PREVIEW

Queensland club Sunshine Coast have a chance to carve out their own slice of history, while Polo Bears star Bless Daly will aim to write her name into the history books.

Welcome to the finals day of the Under-14 and Under-18 divisions at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships.

Every gold medal match from the Under-14 and Under-18 gold divisions will be streamed back-to-back from the main indoor pool, while a selection of other medal matches from the outdoor pool will also be live streamed.

In the Under-18 Boy’s Gold decider, Sunshine Coast will have an opportunity to cap off a memorable week in the water when they clash with Sydney University Lions in the grand final.

The Sunshine Coast side will ride a wave of momentum into the gold medal showdown after scoring a thrilling penalty shootout win over UQ Barras on Tuesday.

Conversely Sydney University has cruised into the decider, scoring an incredible 142 goals in only six games across the tournament.

In the women’s Under-18s decider Daly is set to be the deciding factor as she looks to cap off a perfect Championships in which she has already scored 32 goals in six games.

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The Polo Bears Ice side have already pulled off a stunning upset against reigning champions Mermaids Pink in the semi-finals and will aim to carry that form across against American outfit MATS Water Polo.