Azevedo returning to the Olympics with Team USA water polo

SAN DIEGO >> On Thursday aboard the USS Midway in San Diego, the Navy’s longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century, the United States men’s water polo team finalized their 13-man roster that will be headed to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic games.

Where young heroes once served their country on the USS Midway flight deck, 13 water polo players were introduced looking to honor their country in a different way, with a gold medal around their necks.

“It’s been a long jouey,” said USA water polo’s chief executive officer Chris Ramsey. “Each player has had their individual stories, but what’s remarkable is that those stories can come together to become one team that’s committed to excellence.”

U.S. head coach Dejan Udovicic trimmed the roster from about 40 or 50 players to 13 and is excited about the group that he’s taking to Brazil after coming off a silver medal performance at the FINA World Super League final last month.

“Looking at our team, it’s a little scary because of how many players are at their first Olympics,” Udovicic said. “But the coach needs to do what the coach needs to do and we’ve made the right choices. We’re satisfied and this team has a bright future.”

Four retuers are back from the 2012 Olympic squad, including captain and Long Beach Wilson alum Tony Azevedo, who is headed to his fifth Olympic games. With this selection Azevedo becomes the first five-time Olympian in USA water polo history and he’ll be looking to top the 2008 silver medal his team eaed in Bejing.

“We’re a team that has trained really hard and they’ll be afraid of us,” Azevedo said. “Be ready because we’ll be one of the best teams in the world.”

Azevedo is the only Long Beach native on this year’s team after three players claimed Long Beach as their hometown in 2012. Wilson alum Jackson Kimbell, who had been playing for the U.S. team over the course of the last few months, was the final cut and did not make the Olympic roster.

Retuing Olympians on this year’s team include goalie Merril Moses, defender Jesse Smith, and center John Ma. All but one of the players on the U.S. roster are from Califoia, with most of them coming from around the Orange County area.

“I’m proud of this group,” said Uduovicic about his Olympic team. “I’m proud to stand in front of them and I’m looking forward to sharing this opportunity with them.”

Team USA is currently ranked sixth in the world and qualified for the Olympic games in Rio after their win against Canada in the semifinal round of the 2015 Pan American games. They are scheduled to open up play on August 6th against 2012 Olympic champion Croatia. From there they’ll take on European powers Montenegro, Hungary, Spain, and France. The medal round is scheduled to begin Aug. 20.

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