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Quartet help City of Manchester team to a fine finish

The City of Manchester water polo squad
The City of Manchester water polo squad

A quartet of local players helped the City of Manchester Water Polo Club (CoM) women’s first team deliver an exceptional performance in Romania.

Representing the North West and Manchester in the Nordic League Cup, the team including Bolton’s Amelia Crompton, Ramsbottom’s Abigail Colson and Astley duo, Lucy Blenkinship and Izzy Robb, faced formidable European opponents.

They showcased their skill, determination, and teamwork, securing victories against teams from Italy, Sweden, and Germany and narrowly missed out on topping the table, losing 18-17 in sudden death penalties to a strong team from the Netherlands.

This remarkable achievement is even more impressive given that some of the competing teams are semi-professional, while the CoM women are a team of amateur athletes.

Their success is a testament to their dedication and rigorous training, enabling them to perform at such a high level in European competition.

The team’s outstanding performance has earned them a place in the Nordic League Cup final, set to take place in Malta this May. There, they will face elite teams from Romania, Malta, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands with one other UK team taking part - Cheltenham.

“This team has shown incredible resilience and passion,” said head coach Theo Nousios, who is also the GB Women’s coach.

“Their performance highlights the talent and determination within the squad. Competing against semi-professional teams and finishing top two in the group is a phenomenal achievement. We’re excited for the final in Malta and confident the team will continue to make Manchester proud.”

The Nordic League also features significant involvement from CoM’s other teams. The men’s championship includes competitors from across Europe, with one of the tournament legs set to take place in Manchester from March 7-9. Adding to the excitement, CoM will compete with a junior team in Europe for the first time. The U16 boys will participate in the Nordic League, travelling to Finland and Germany to compete in the competition.