Olympiacos Women's Water Polo Team

Olympiacos Women's Water Polo Club is the women's water polo department of the major Greek multi-sport club Olympiacos, based in Piraeus. The department was founded in 1988 and they play their games at the 1000-seated Papastrateio "Petros Kapagerof" Hall in Piraeus.

For the parent multi-sport club, see Olympiacos CFP.
Olympiacos
NicknameThrylos (The Legend)
Gorgones (The Mermaids)
Erythrolefkes (The Red-Whites)
Founded1988
LeagueA1 Ethniki Water Polo
LEN Euroleague
Based inPiraeus, Greece
ArenaPapastrateio Hall Piraeus
Colors    Red, White
President Michalis Kountouris
Head coach Charis Pavlidis
Championships1 LEN Euroleague
1 LEN Super Cup
1 LEN Trophy
11 Greek Championships
2 Greek Cups
1 Greek Super Cup
Websiteolympiacossfp.gr
Active departments of Olympiacos
Football Basketball
(Men's)		 Basketball
(Men's B)
Basketball
(Women's)		 Volleyball
(Men's)		 Volleyball
(Women's)
Handball
(Men's)		 Water Polo
(Men's)		 Water Polo
(Women's)
Athletics Swimming Sailing
Canoeing Table tennis Fencing
Rowing Boxing Kickboxing
Taekwondo

Olympiacos is one of the most successful clubs in European Water Polo, having won the LEN Euroleague in 2015,[1] the LEN Super Cup also in 2015 and the LEN Trophy in 2014[2] and having, overall, a commanding presence in European competitions. Besides their LEN Euroleague, LEN Super Cup and LEN Trophy titles, they were runners-up of the LEN Euroleague in 2017 and 2019, runners-up of the LEN Super Cup in 2014, runners-up of the LEN Trophy in 2008 and 2018[3] and they have participated, altogether, in 7 Champions' Cup / Euroleague Final Fours (1996, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019),[4] as well as in 5 LEN Trophy Final Fours (2001, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018), being semi-finalists of the same competition in 2009 and 2012.[5][6]

In 2014 Olympiacos won the LEN Trophy in the Final Four in Florence, beating home team Firenze 10–9 in the final. One year later, Olympiacos were crowned European Champions,[7] winning the LEN Euroleague in the 2015 Final Four in Piraeus, after a thrilling, hard-fought 10–9 win in the final against the then-reigning champions Sabadell, who were undefeated for more than 3 years with 115 consecutive wins in all competitions.[8] Olympiacos lifted the LEN Euroleague title undefeated and having won 8 straight matches without even a single draw. As European Champions, Olympiacos participated in the final of the 2015 LEN Super Cup and won the title after a 10–6 win against Plebiscito Padova, thus completing a continental Treble[9] in 2015 (LEN Euroleague, LEN Super Cup, Greek Championship), winning season's all three available titles.[10]

After the 2015 LEN Euroleague win of Olympiacos Women's Water Polo team, Olympiacos CFP became the only multi-sport club in European Water Polo history after Pro Recco to have been crowned European Champions with both its Men's and Women's departments,[11] and the only club with both its departments currently active (Pro Recco Women's department has been dissolved since 2012).[12]

Domestically, Olympiacos is the most successful Greek club, having won a shared record 11 Greek Championships, a record 2 Greek Cups, a record 1 Greek Super Cup and a record 2 Doubles. They also hold the all-time record for the most consecutive Greek Championships, as they are the only team to have won 7 consecutive Greek Championship titles (2014–2020). They won their first two titles in 1995 and 1998, but their best performance in the league came after coach Charis Pavlidis' arrival in 2007. In 2009, they managed to seize the Championship from rivals NC Vouliagmeni who had the home-court advantage, winning the best-of-five series 3–2. Beginning from season 2010–11, Olympiacos won eight Greek Championships in ten seasons (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), beating rivals NC Vouliagmeni in the finals on all eight occasions, despite the fact that Vouliagmeni had the home-court advantage in both the 2011 and 2014 finals. In the seasons 2015–16 and 2019–20 Olympiacos won the Greek Championship undefeated, winning every game in both the regular season and the play-offs. They won the first ever Greek Cup which was held in 2017–18 season and the first ever Greek Super Cup (held in 2020).[13]

Some of the greatest players in the world (many of them Olympic medalists and World Champions) have played for Olympiacos over the years including: Iefke van Belkum, Alexandra Asimaki, Yasemin Smit, Lauren Wenger, Ashleigh Southern, Bronwen Knox, Roberta Bianconi, Giulia Emmolo, Kami Craig, Triantafyllia Manolioudaki, Alkisti Avramidou, Eleftheria Plevritou, Margarita Plevritou, Chrysi Diamantopoulou, Stavroula Antonakou, Ilektra Psouni, Angeliki Karapataki, Antonia Moraiti, Evi Moraitidou, Anthoula Mylonaki, Dimitra Asilian, Eftychia Karagianni, Maria Kanellopoulou, Christina Tsoukala, Kyriaki Liosi, Patricia del Soto, Blanca Gil, Barbara Bujka, Ágnes Valkai, Vaso Mavrelou, Maria Balomenaki, Ann Dow, Camila Pedrosa, Sun Yating, Eszter Tomaskovics, Maria Tsouri and Assel Jakayeva.

Current roster

2020–2021
Squad as of 24 October 2020

Olympiacos captain Alkisti Avramidou
Number Nationality Player Height Date of Birth
Goalkeepers (3)
1 Chrysi Diamantopoulou 1.86 22/09/1995
13 Ioanna Stamatopoulou 1.82 05/06/1999
14 Stavroula Doureka 1.62 05/04/1997
Defense (2)
8 Margarita Plevritou 1.78 17/11/1994
11 Christina Tsoukala 1.84 08/07/1991
Offense (2)
3 Alkistis Benekou 1.70 31/01/1994
12 Maria Myriokefalitaki 1.84 08/01/2001
Midfield (5)
2 Eleftheria Plevritou 1.78 23/04/1997
4 Nikoleta Eleftheriadou 1.74 17/01/1998
6 Alkisti Avramidou (C) 1.70 26/02/1988
10 Vasiliki Plevritou 1.79 08/06/1998
16 Eleni Kanetidou 1.66 20/02/2001
Head Coach
Charis Pavlidis

Honours
Alexandra Asimaki, 2011 FINA World Player of the Year, led Olympiacos to 1 LEN Euroleague, 1 LEN Super Cup, 6 Greek Leagues and 2 Greek Cups
Olympiacos were crowned European Champions in 2015, with Ashleigh Southern scoring 4 goals in the 10–9 win against Sabadell in the final

Domestic competitions
  • Greek League
    • Winners (11) (shared record): 1994–95, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
  • Greek Cup
    • Winners (2) (record): 2017–18, 2019–20
  • Greek Super Cup
    • Winners (1) (record): 2019–20
  • Treble
    • Winners (1) (record): 2019–20
  • Double
    • Winners (2) (record): 2017–18, 2019–20

European competitions

International record
Bronwen Knox scored Olympiacos' winning goal in the 2014 LEN Trophy final against Firenze (10–9)[15]
Season Achievement Notes
LEN Champions' Cup / LEN Euro League
1995–96 Final 8 4th place
2009–10 Final Four 4th place. Defeated 11–12 by Kinef Kirishi in the semi-final and 12–13 by Orizzonte Catania in the 3rd place game
2010–11 Final Four 3rd place. Defeated 13–14 by Orizzonte Catania in the semi-final, won 14–12 against Kinef Kirishi in the 3rd place game
2014–15 European Champions won 10–8 against Kinef Kirishi in the semi-final and 10–9 against Sabadell in the final in Piraeus
2015–16 Final Four 4th place. Defeated 11–12 by UVSE in the semi-final and 9–10 by Kinef Kirishi in the 3rd place game
2016–17 Final won 11–9 against Sabadell in the semi-final, defeated by Kinef Kirishi 6–7 in the final in Kirishi
2018–19 Final won 8–7 against Vouliagmeni in the semi-final, defeated by Sabadell 11–13 in the final in Sabadell
LEN Trophy
2000–01 Final Four 4th place
2006–07 Final Four 4th place. Defeated by Roma 4–7, by ZWV Nereus 6–7 and tied 7–7 against ΟSC Budapest
2007–08 Final won ΟSC Budapest 13–12 in the semi-final, defeated by Roma 9–10 in the final
2008–09 Semi-finals eliminated by Dunaújvárosi, drew 5–5 in Dunaújváros, lost 10–13 in Athens
2011–12 Semi-finals eliminated by WC Yugra, won 9–8 in Athens, lost 8–11 in Khanty-Mansiysk
2013–14 Winners won 13–12 against Kinef Kirishi in the semi-final and 10–9 against Firenze in the final in Florence
2017–18 Final won 10–4 against Plebiscito Padova in the semi-final, defeated by Dunaújvárosi 11–13 in the final in Mataró
LEN Super Cup
2014 Final lost 8–9 to Sabadell in Barcelona
2015 SuperCup Champions won 10–6 against Plebiscito Padova in Piraeus

Notable players
Iefke van Belkum

Notable coaches

Personnel

Management, coaching and technical staff
Management
President Michalis Kountouris
Director Nikos Skandalakis
Coaching and technical staff
Head Coach Charis Pavlidis
Assistant Coach Kostas Chatzidakis
Team Manager Alexandra Kalogera
Physio Panagiotis Adamopoulos

See also

References
  1. "Olympiakos wins European crown in women's water polo". ekathimerini.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. "Olympiakos's women win water polo's LEN Trophy". ekathimerini.com. April 5, 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  3. "Balzan to ref women's Super Cup final". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  4. "Olympiakos takes bronze in women's Champions Cup". ekathimerini.com.
  5. "Women's LEN Trophy 2009 Semifinals Results". fsn.ch. Archived from the original on 2013-08-11.
  6. "Home victories, but no decisions in LEN Trophy semifinals". waterpoloworld.com.
  7. "Olympiacos wins Euro League after thrilling final". waterpoloworld.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  8. "El Sabadell cae tras una racha de 115 encuentros sin perder" (in Spanish). as.com. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  9. Στη κορυφή του ευρωπαϊκού πόλο, οι γυναίκες του Ολυμπιακού. Τρεμπλ, για πρώτη φορά στην ιστορία του συλλόγου sportandbusiness.gr, 20/11/2015 (in Greek)
  10. "Ο Ολυμπιακός κατέκτησε και το Σούπερ Καπ Ευρώπης, νικώντας 10-6 την Πάντοβα, κάνοντας το τρεμπλ για πρώτη φορά στην ιστορία του τμήματος" (in Greek). sport24.gr. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  11. Έγραψε ιστορία ο Ολυμπιακός - Πρωταθλητής Ευρώπης στο πόλο γυναικών (in Greek). express.gr. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  12. "Imperia ladies take European Super Cup". waterpoloworld.com. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  13. "First Greek Cup Winners". www.osfp.gr. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  14. Θρυλικό τρεμπλ ο Ολυμπιακός naftemporiki.gr, 27/11/2015 (in Greek)
  15. "Olympiacos wins LEN Trophy". waterpoloworld.com.
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