China Open: Australia sweeps men's and women's titles

Photo Gallery>>(BEIJING, March 23) -- On March 23, in the men's final round of the "Good Luck Beijing" 2008 Water Polo China Open held at Ying Tung Natatorium, Australia beat host China 12-7 to claim the men's title. The results of the four quarters were 4-1, 0-1, 4-3 and 4-2.

The Australian team opened the match with fierce attacks, as No. 10 Gavin Woods scored on a short shot in the second minute. Following that, the guest team sent as many as six substitutes to play the rest of the game, an indication of the team's great self-confidence. In another two or three minutes, No. 6 Anthony Martin and No. 5 Grant Richardson made one each for a 3-0 lead. In the last minute, China got a penalty throw but Wang Beiming's shot was blocked by Australia's goalkeeper. Gavin Woods then scored again on a fast break, and it was only in the last 30 seconds that Yu Lijun opened the score for China while the team enjoyed a numerical advantage against their opponents.

Han Zhidong's long shot helped China improve the deficit to 2-4 after the second quarter.

The third quarter saw China missing a very good chance for scoring as Yu Lijun's shot hit the crossbar. Australian Jamie Beadsworth and Chinese Han Zhidong shot in turn and the score stood 5-3. With a drop shot Stephen Cody soon extended the Australian lead to 6-3. Two minutes later, China's Xie Junmin succeeded in scoring on a direct shot from a teammate's pass. In the remaining time, Australia's Daniel Lawrence and China's Han Zhidong added one long shot each before Lawrence's teammate, Rhys Howden, finished the quarter with another fast break, 8-5.

In the final quarter the Australians broke the Chinese goal time and again, while China's Wang Beiming and Tan Feihu also made two. After a 3-2 run, Australia's Timothy Needsham counterattacked to further extende their lead to 12-7 before the final whistle, thus helping the guest team grab the men's title of the 2008 China Open.

(Credit: The Official Website of "Good Luck Beijing" Sport Events)