Four days of action, smiles, and a focus on water polo came to a close as the Nea Makri Swimming Pool donned its festive colors to host the inaugural Aquafeed24 Starfish Trophy. Held from October 24th to 27th, this tournament left a strong impression for the future.
The competition level matched expectations, with ten teams competing in the U15 category. Through intense matches, the tournament showcased the next generation of Greek and European water polo talent, offering fans an exhilarating four days.
Despite challenges, obstacles, and difficulties that some tried to pose for the event, the Aquafeed24 Starfish Trophy was successfully completed under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation, with referees from the Greek Water Polo Referees Association. Plans are already underway for the next tournament, with the aim of providing young athletes a healthy environment to compete and develop in every aspect.
In the main event, the magnificent Barcelona reached the final, displaying impressive water polo skills, emphasizing swimming ability, mobility, and well-organized defense and offense. The Catalans performed exceptionally throughout the tournament, and in the final match overcame Romania’s strong Oradea team, despite trailing by three goals twice. Specifically, coach Andi Alexandrescu’s Romanian team led 4-6 at the end of the third quarter and 4-7 early in the fourth. However, Barcelona launched an incredible comeback, turning the game around and taking the trophy with a final score of 11-8.
Before the final, there was a Champions League-style team presentation, with Svilen Piralkov of the Catalan team named MVP after scoring a remarkable seven goals (!) in the game against Oradea, including four in the fourth quarter.
In the bronze medal match, the impressive AS Monaco, starring Greek player Angelos Albertis, clinched third place by defeating Red Star with a score of 12-8. The French team held a steady lead throughout, with Maximilian Malishev scoring nine (!) goals. Velizan Ivanovic led Red Star with three goals.
In other standings:
-5th place: Pro Recco defeated the Bulgarian national team 14-12 in their first appearance in Greece with their youth team.
– 7th place: Ethnikos Piraeus bested Nautical Club Chania 9-5. Both teams fielded younger players than the U15 category.
– 9th place: Panionios won 6-3 against AO Kastella, also fielding a younger team.
Water polo legend and Greek national team captain, Giannis Fountoulis, awarded the tournament medals and MVP trophy, honoring the Aquafeed24 Starfish Trophy with his presence.
On Saturday night, the tournament’s opening ceremony was held, and the sportsmanship left a lasting impression, especially the “pasillo” moments, with Barcelona and Oradea athletes applauding each other after the final match. True sporting spirit!
The success of the event would not have been possible without the dedication and passion of the exceptional Aquafeed24 team, the invaluable support of Spyros Albertis, and the generous sponsorship of Gelasakis Shipping Agency and our other partners. Their contribution was instrumental in bringing this remarkable event to life.
The Aquafeed24 Starfish Trophy was held under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation and the Municipality of Marathon.
