Flamengo is runner-up in the South American Water Polo Super League
With six wins in seven games, Rubro-Negro shows maturity and is already focusing on the Brasil Open, in Belém
By Paulo Neto - in
Flamengo won the silver medal in the Rio de Janeiro stage of the South American Super League men's water polo this Sunday (25). With a great performance over the five days of competition in Laranjeiras, the team won six of the seven matches it played and gave fans reason to be optimistic about what's to come. Now, the squad turns its attention to the Brasil Open, which will be held between May 29 and June 1, in Belém do Pará.
The campaign began with four victories in the group stage, including impressive results over Argentina's Provincial (17-13) and Independiente (19-7), as well as the national derby against Pinheiros (16-14) and a rout over Uruguay's Biguá (20-8). In the quarterfinals, Flamengo defeated the strong ABDA team 14-11, and in the semifinals they won the derby against Fluminense 16-13. In the final, the Rubro-Negro fought until the end, but was defeated by Sesi 12-8, taking second place.
Team captain Logan Wolverine spoke about the importance of the competition. "We had a great tournament, going through the group stage undefeated. We played well against very strong teams like ABDA and Pinheiros. We made it through the quarterfinals and semifinals in very tough matches. In the final, we played great until the third quarter, but we faltered a bit at the end, but we'll work harder to achieve better results in the future. What we'll take away is the baggage and experience. Now it's time to fix what we did wrong and focus on the Brasil Open," he emphasized.
In addition to the excellent campaign, three red-black athletes were selected for the ideal team of the tournament: Alipio Nardaci, as best center, Fabiano, as best position 1/2, and Nico, as best position 3/4.
Coach George Chaia also celebrated the team's performance and the group's development process. "Our team is built within the club; most of us have been here since the youth academy. We're managing to transform this group into a winning group. We got a little tired at the end, but our expectations for the upcoming matches are high. I believe we'll have a great run at the Brasil Open," he projected.
Check out the Brasil Open table:
