Men’s water polo: USA face Romania at Newport Harbor Aug. 27

NEWPORT BEACH - With a month remaining before the first water polo

game in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the United States

men’s water polo team will play three exhibition games against Romania,

with the first at Newport Harbor High on Sunday, Aug. 27.

That exhibition with Romania has a 5:00 p.m. start time. The three

exhibition games were scheduled after the U.S. was forced to pull out of

its last pre-Olympic tournament before the Olympics, which starts on

Sept. 16 for water polo.

The U.S., which is coached by Corona del Mar High’s John Vargas,

canceled a trip to Belgrade, Yugoslavia for security reasons. That

tournament featured teams from the host country, Greece, Croatia, Italy,

Slovakia and Romania, all but Romania expected to be in the Olympics.

“Circumstances forced us to find an alternative to the tournament in

Belgrade and we were very fortunate that, with the financial support of

the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Romanians have agreed to extend their

season and come to the U.S. for common training,” said Bruce Wigo, the

U.S. Water Polo executive director, in a press release.

The second game with Romania is scheduled for Aug. 31 at El Toro High.

That one has a 7:15 p.m. start time. An exhibition by the U.S. Women’s

water polo team precedes that game. The time and location for the third

game on Sept. 2 has yet to be determined.

The U.S., led by Captain Chris Oeding, a product of Corona del Mar

High, heads for Sydney on Sept. 4.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students. For more information,

call (719) 634-0699.