Water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Olympic Aquatic Centre where women competed for only the second time in the event at the Summer Olympics.
Twelve teams battled it out for the gold medal in the men's event, where Russia was trying to avenge their defeat by Hungary at the Sydney Olympics. There were eight teams in the women's event where holders Australia were hoping to retain the title.
Men's teams
Group A: Croatia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro and United States.
Group B: Australia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain
Women's teams
Group A: Australia, Greece, Italy and Kazakhstan.
Group B: Canada, Hungary, Russia and United States.
Famous quotes containing the words water and/or summer:
“So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.””
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 27:24.
“Two wooden tubs of blue hydrangeas stand at the foot of the stone steps.
The sky is a blue gum streaked with rose. The trees are black.
The grackles crack their throats of bone in the smooth air.
Moisture and heat have swollen the garden into a slum of bloom.
Pardie! Summer is like a fat beast, sleepy in mildew....”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)