U.S. Men’s Water Polo Win Bronze Over Hungary — The First Medal In 16 Years

NANTERRE, France — The first time the U.S. men’s water polo team won a medal in the Olympics was at the Olympic Games Paris 1924 — 100 years ago.

So, it seems only fitting that a century later, the American men are back on the podium, beating powerhouses Hungary 11-8 in a harrowing match that had the Americans down in the fourth, ultimately tying it 8-8 before the game went into shootouts.

The win was Team USA men’s first medal in water polo in 16 years, winning silver at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. The team that took the gold that year, winning, 14-10, in the final? Their opponent in today’s battle for bronze at La Defense Arena on the outskirts of Paris.

Team Hungary has been the most successful country in men’s Olympic water polo, having won nine Olympic gold medals in the past 100 years.

“Historically, Hungary is a very, very good team. They have a history of water polo. It’s their national sport,” said three-time Olympian Alex Bowen, the top U.S. goal scorer from the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. “It means a lot to beat them.”

On the last day of Olympic competition, the bronze medal match was too close to call going back and forth until late in the second quarter when the Americans finally doubled their lead, going 4-2. Before the half, Hungary was able to score again to make it 4-3 but shots on goal for both teams were low, under 35 percent — not what you would expect in a fight for the bronze medal.

The third quarter saw the Hungarians going ahead for the first time, 5-4, in this aggressively defensive match. Both teams were able to put another one in the net, leaving the Americans up, 6-5, going into the final quarter.

But with eight minutes left to decide the bronze medal, the U.S.’ one-point lead quickly went to their opponents after they let three straight goals slip in.

A time-out talk late in the quarter seemed to do the trick for the Americans because, with less than two minutes to go, they were able to tie it up eight all.

First-time Olympian Ryder Dodd — who was playing alongside his older brother, Chase — credited the team’s bond for the comeback.

“I think our brotherhood kind of just came in,” Dodd, at 18, the youngest member of the U.S. men’s water polo team since 1964, said. “It wasn't just one word that changed our rhythm in the game. I think it was just us looking at each other in that huddle, knowing that we can come back. I think that is really what brought us together in that moment.”

With neither team able to score the final go-ahead point, third place was going to be decided by shootouts.

First-time Olympian and the team’s goalkeeper, Adrian Weinberg remembered feeling especially nervous before the game.

“The whole tournament I’ve honestly been pretty calm,” he admitted, “but then today I was super freaking nervous.”

Thankfully he was able to stay focused on the task at hand.

“My mentality was the same the whole game, just trying to stay present,” Weinberg said. “There's a lot of ups and downs in the game, but trying to focus on whatever the task is at hand.”

It worked, because the 22-year-old blocked three straight attempts by the Norwegians, enough to take the win and the bronze, 11-8.

“When I first came on the team, [Adrian] was like my second brother — behind Chase,” Dodd said. “For him to go into the shootout and not even let a goal against arguably the best shooters in the world, I think it’s incredible.”

After the U.S. women lost their bronze medal match the previous day, marking the first time in history they failed to reach the podium, this victory — securing the men's seventh medal — prevented it from being the first time since 1996 that no U.S. water polo team brought home a medal.

“It’s a big win for just not our sport, but our country as well,” Weinberg said.

On the last day of Olympic competition, it was the happy ending needed for Team USA Water Polo.

Lisa Costantini has covered Olympic and Paralympic sports for more than a decade, including for the International Olympic Committee. She is a freelance writer who has contributed to TeamUSA.com since 2011.