The South African men’s Water Polo team got their 18th FINA World Championships campaign under way with a match against Spain, who overpowered the Mzansi side by 23 goals to 3 on Monday, in Gwangju, South Korea.
Nicholas Rodda (two) and Jason Evezard (one) scored the only goals for the South Africans.
Spain’s goals came from Blai Mallarach (five), Alvaro Granados (four), Roger Tahull (four), Felipe Rocha (four), Alberto Munarriz (two), Sergi Cabanas (one), Marc Larumbe (one), Alberto Barroso (one) and Alejandro Bustos (one).
The men’s national team will play against New Zealand next at the Nambu University Grounds on Wednesday, 17 July.
Chad Ho and Danie Marais will take to the water in the Open Water 10km race on Tuesday, while Laura Strugnell and Emma Manners-Wood will compete in the Artistic Swimming’s Duet Free Preliminaries.