MADRID, 17 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish men's water polo coach, David Martín, has assured that he is “very proud of how the team has risen” after “the semi-final blow” against Italy and of how it won the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup this Saturday against France (14-10), all in a match in which they have shown that they are still “hungry to win.”
“You have to value it a lot, it is very difficult to win medals. We train to win gold, but there are many teams that also do it. We found a very strong team in the semifinals. I value that the team finishes the tournaments with victory, showing great level of play and, above all, that we do not lose this hunger to win. I am very proud of how the team has risen and how it has faced this match. Now, to rest and think about the next challenge,” he said in statements provided by the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation.
Furthermore, he assured that “France has already shown that it is no 'Cinderella'.” “They have had several tournaments, such as in Fukuoka or the European Championship, in which they have shown that they are a very difficult team. The important thing today was the mentality: go out, be aggressive, come out with our usual game, which was not easy after the semi-final blow… It has been a very hard few months and ending this energy satisfies me,” he said.
He also trusts that the players will focus on their clubs before facing the great challenge of Paris 2024. “Now they are going with club dynamics. They already know that they have to be professionals, that they have to think about the day to day; if you want To win the Olympic Games you have to work day by day, you can't wait until the last month to start training. I am convinced that they are going to do it. Now they are going to completely change their dynamics,” he stressed.
For his part, international Álvaro Granados acknowledged that they are “already thinking about what's to come” after a great game against the French team. “France came strong, motivated; they came up and we, with the disappointment of the semifinals, were a little down, but this team is capable of overcoming any situation. We played a game to be proud of,” he said.
“We are proud of what we are achieving. Personally, I am proud of the team both personally and professionally and athletically. We take this as an opportunity for growth,” he concluded.