πŸ›’ Shop the best Water Polo Gear now! β†’
πŸ€‘ 10% off on selected briefs & merch πŸ€‘
Support the Total Waterpolo mission!
TW-Brandmark-Whitex2
  • News
  • Results

    National

    • France
      • French League 23/24 – Women
      • French League 23/24 – Men
    • Spain
      • Spanish League 23/24 – Women
      • Spanish League 23/24 – Men
    • Hungary
      • Hungarian League 23/24 – Women
      • Hungarian League 23/24 – Men
    • Italy
      • Italian League 23/24 – Women
      • Italian League 2324 – Men
    • Nordic League
      • Nordic League 23/24
    • Austria
      • Women’s Bundesliga 2023

    International

    • LEN Champions League
      • Season 23/24
        • Women
        • Men
    • NCAA
      • Men’s Finals 2023
    • Nordic League
      • Season 23/24
    • European Championships
      • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
      • Zagreb / Dubrovnik 2024 – Men
      • Split 2022
        • Women
        • Men
      • Budapest 2020
    • World Championships
      • Fukuoka 2023
        • Women
        • Men
      • Budapest 2022
        • Women
        • Men
    • Oympic Games
      • Tokyo 2020
        • Women
        • Men

    Amateur & Junior Divisions

    • BIWPA
      • Next Generation 2023 – Women
      • Next Generation 2023 – Men
    • Masters Tournaments
      • VAL League
      • Herceg Novi MNE
        • Herceg Novi Masters 2023 β€œ40+”
        • Herceg Novi Masters 2023 β€œ30+”

    Total Waterpolo Arena livescoring app: Stay in the game with real-time updates and stats for your next tournament.

    Contact Us
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop

    WearWaterpoloβ„’ Webshop

    • Webshop
    • Men’s Briefs
    • Women’s Suits
    • Apparel
    • Game Balls
    • About

    Partner up with Total Waterpolo, the leading international water polo network worldwide and take your team gear to the next level. Our products are made to endure the harshest conditions from pro leagues around the world to your local squad rivalries. We can't wait to join your team!

    Get Total Waterpolo for your Team
  • Total Player ’23
✕
  • News
  • Results
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop
  • Total Player ’23
CroMasters '24
Support Us

Water polo in Colombia

October 27, 2020
Water polo in Colombia

Water polo in Colombia

Our #waterpoloeverywhere continues with Colombia. The South American country has almost fifty million inhabitants. Eight hundred of them play water polo. We spoke with Federico Longas about water polo in his country.

33-year-old Federico Longas is a man of the world and, above all, a big water polo enthusiast. He was a Colombian national team player for six years, then left for the United States, Spain and Argentina. In the latter country, he lived and played for twelve years. And there he also started coaching. He even took the Argentinian youth team under his wing for five years, with whom he won silver at the South American Games in Venezuela in 2015. He has been back in his native country Colombia for two years now. There he is a technical coordinator and coach at Club Deportivo BelΓ©n in MedellΓ­n. He also regularly plays some matches with the Masters of the same club.

Clubs and competition

There are 29 clubs in Colombia. About ten of them are university teams. The province of Antioquia, which includes MedellΓ­n, is Colombia’s water polo stronghold with thirteen clubs. The province of CundΓ­namarca, with the national capital BogotΓ‘, has two clubs. β€œThere are only national competitions in the youth categories. They are played in tournament form, but the FECNA – the Colombian Swimming Federation – organizes only two such tournaments per year. Club Boyas, Club Polo AcuΓ‘tico MedellΓ­n and Club Deportivo BelΓ©n are often the most successful here. The latter is invariably also the mayor purveyor to the national team.”

Deportivo Belen

Water polo club Deportivo Belen

For Seniors and Masters, there are only friendly tournaments in Colombia. β€œThat is one of the biggest problems with water polo here. There is a lack of leadership to set up a national program for adults. They only play their matches at the regional level. A shame, because as a country, you must have a Premier League for Seniors. Only then will you get better players and strengthen the club culture. I really hope that a fully-fledged national competition will be set up in the long term, as they do in all countries. This beautiful Olympic sport deserves that. The FECNA also does not allow the best clubs to participate in the South American Champions League. As an alternative, some clubs, therefore, seek their salvation across the border. For example, Club Deportivo BelΓ©n takes part in tournaments in the USA, Argentina, Peru or Venezuela every year. Club Polo AcuΓ‘tico MedellΓ­n regularly organizes an international tournament itself.”

Colombian national team successΒ 

Despite the lack of a national program for Seniors, the national team is still regularly successful. For example, Colombia won the World Cup for B-countries in Kuwait in 2007. More recently, there was also a success. In 2018, the team won gold at the Center American Games in Barranquilla (Colombia) and bronze at the South American Games in Cochabamba (Bolivia). The National Youth Team participated in the World Cup in Hungary in 2018. There they finished twelfth. When Colombian players leave for Europe, they usually play for Spanish clubs. Alejandro Idarraga plays for CN Catalunya, Santiago Cuervo for CN Molins de Rey and Sebastian MuΓ±oz for CN Sant Feliu.

Colombian national water polo team

Colombian national water polo team

Women’s water polo is still clearly the neglected child of Colombian water polo. β€œThat’s the next big problem here. For ten years, the women’s national team has not taken part in international tournaments due to a lack of money and other forms of support. Some women’s clubs in the country do participate in international tournaments themselves.”

All in all, it means that water polo in Colombia is a small sport, with hardly any media attention. β€œEveryone is an amateur. It is a relatively expensive sport and the players and parents have to pay for everything themselves. Some club coaches do receive a minimum wage, but that is very modest for the work they put into it. A club like Deportivo BelΓ©n still offers three hours of training a day, six days a week.”

Hard times for Colombian water polo

Add to that the corona pandemic and it is clear that water polo in Colombia is struggling. β€œThere is no support whatsoever from the FECNA and some clubs fear for their survival. For the time being, we are not allowed to enter the swimming pools. At the club level, there are good initiatives to stay connected with the members. For example, with Club Deportivo BelΓ©n, we offer physical and mental training via the computer from Monday to Friday.”

Still, Federico refuses to grow gloomy. β€œAs a water polo coach, it is my duty to contribute to the constant strengthening of Colombian water polo. At my club, I do this by changing local thinking to a more national, integrated and shared way of thinking. I believe we can still achieve big goals because there is a huge passion for water polo in this country. We also have the necessary infrastructure. We have too little trained staff and a lack of innovative ideas. Our sport has a lot to offer in social, physical and cultural terms. I want to get in touch with other countries to strengthen water polo in Colombia. By showing our capabilities and learning from their good examples. That’s the key!”

Federico Longas

Federico Longas

Federico, therefore, calls on the Colombian clubs to unite. β€œI am convinced that we can change and make the sport much better. We have the right sports facility in all our regions to professionalize water polo. The Colombian Federation must give priority to increasing the supply at the municipal, departmental and national levels. By establishing and facilitating more clubs, water polo will become more popular. The trainers and coaches’ training must also be given priority because a well-trained staff is a necessary foundation to structurally change water polo and strengthen clubs. A reinforced national competition, with sponsors and government support, will also internationally benefit our water polo. And we like to show Colombia with our beautiful landscapes to foreign clubs.

The good weather in Colombia means that we can play water polo all year round. We also border two oceans, so that also offers many opportunities for beach water polo!”

More information about Club Deportivo BelΓ©n? Check their website. More information about water polo in Colombia? Follow them on Instagram and Facebook.Β 

TW Press
TW Press

Related posts

Hrvoje Koljanin Photo by Slobodan Sandic/WPF of Serbia

August 30, 2023

Hrvoje Koljanin talks of a new adventure at Olympiacos


Read more
August 20, 2023

‘Top-class’ Jadran Split are dangerous to everyone – Butic


Read more

Does the USA women's national team need a timeout? Photo: Orange Pictures / Albert ten Hove.

August 18, 2023

Current USA team isn’t as good as before – Adam Krikorian


Read more

Featured Projects

01 - 06 July, 2024 - Limited Availability

Book NowLearn More

SUPPORT US ON PATREON

If you share our passion for water polo worldwide, consider becoming a cherished contributor to our cause, with as little as 5$/month.

SUPPORT US

Learn More

Custom Team Gear

LEARN MORE

Shop Now

Looking for something?

βœ•
  • 0
    Montenegrins to prepare in Netherlands: Four-time Olympian returns
    December 9, 2023
  • 0
    Total Player 2023 by Francesco Di Fulvio
    December 8, 2023
  • 0
    Total Player 2023 by Sabrina Van der Sloot
    December 8, 2023
  • Home
  • Water Polo News
  • WearWaterpolo Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Project Superstar – TW Camp
  • BIWPA
  • Custom Team Equipment
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
Β© 2021 Total Waterpolo. All Rights Reserved.
Total Waterpolo Arena
✕
CroMasters '24
Support Us
  • News
  • Results
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop
  • Total Player ’23

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized content. By clicking "Accept All Cookies" or continuing to browse this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT