Africa spots to be filled at Perth World Juniors

Teams from Africa will be missing at the 2012 Olympic Games tournaments, but squads from the world's second largest continent will take part in both 2012 World Junior Championships to be held together 1-9 December at Perth, Australia. This was confirmed by the FINA this week, so that we can expect a double event of the age group 1994 with teams from all five continents each.

The FINA has already confirmed the participation of teams from Egypt and South Africa in the men’s junior competition; both nations are regularly present in this event. In the women’s competition South Africa and Zimbabwe have expressed their interest in the World Juniors. As Africa can only enter one team in this event, a qualification match between both nations will be held in April to decide who will travel to Western Australia.

It is not Zimbabwe’s first appearance in international waterpolo. Right after the independence of the country, a team from former Rhodesia had already taken part in the inaugural FINA World Junior Championships for men’s U20 teams which were held in 1979 in three Italian cities.