{"id":429103,"date":"2020-05-06T08:16:37","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T15:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=429103"},"modified":"2020-05-05T16:21:56","modified_gmt":"2020-05-05T23:21:56","slug":"ishof-class-of-2014-water-polo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ishof-class-of-2014-water-polo\/","title":{"rendered":"ISHOF Class of 2014: Water Polo"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the\u00a0postponement of the International Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2020<\/a>, ISHOF will be reliving some of their previous induction classes.\u00a0 Today we revisit our Honor Water Polo Players from the ISHOF Class of 2014.\u00a0 That year a total of twenty honorees were inducted; seven of which were open water swimmers.\u00a0 In addition to the seven open water swimmers, there were three pool swimmers, Grant Hackett<\/strong>\u00a0(AUS),\u00a0Agnes Kovacs<\/strong>\u00a0(HUN),\u00a0Tom Malchow<\/strong>\u00a0(USA), one diver,\u00a0Peng Bo<\/strong>\u00a0(CHN), two synchronized swimmers,\u00a0Penny<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Vicky Vilagos<\/strong>, (CAN), two water polo players, one male and one female,\u00a0Carlo Silipo<\/strong>\u00a0(ITA), and\u00a0Karen Kuipers<\/strong>\u00a0(NED), two coaches, one male and one female,\u00a0Joseph Nagy<\/strong>\u00a0(HUN, USA, CAN, ESP)(Swimming) and\u00a0Charlotte Davis<\/strong>\u00a0(USA) (Synchronized Swimming), and two Honor Contributors,\u00a0Dale Petranech<\/strong>\u00a0(USA) and\u00a0Norman Sarsfield<\/strong>\u00a0(GBR)<\/p>\n

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Show how special you are and become a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame\u2019s \u201cOne In A Thousand\u201d<\/a>\u00a0Club.\u00a0 Help keep the International Swimming Hall of Fame moving forward toward a new vision and museum by joining now!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2014 Honor Water Polo Player<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Silipo,<\/a>

Photo Courtesy: ISHOF<\/p><\/div>\n

Carlo Silipo (ITA)<\/strong><\/p>\n

FOR THE RECORD: 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold; 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: bronze; 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant; 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant; 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold; 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver; 1993 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold; 1995 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold; 1999 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze; 2001 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver; 1993 FINA WORLD CUP: silver; 1995 FINA WORLD CUP: silver; 1999 FINA WORLD CUP: silver; 2003 FINA WORLD LEAGUE: silver; 1991 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: silver; 1993 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: gold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He started in water polo with the Rowing Club of Naples, moved up to the famed Club Posillipo and became one of the most important players in Neopolitan and Italian water polo history.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When he joined the national team in 1992, Italy hadn\u2019t won a gold medal in water polo since 1960 and finished a distant sixth in the 1991 World Championships. But it did have Ratko Rudic, the gruff disciplinarian who coached Yugoslavia to its Olympic championships in 1984 and 1988.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Rudic changed the Italian water polo culture. He brought a winning philosophy with him to Italy, and selected a core of young players who were willing to train until they dropped and pummeled their opponent into submission, no matter how long it might take. Carlo Silipo, only 21 years old, bought into the system. At six feet, six inches tall and weighing 210 pounds, he had the physical qualities Rudic was looking for at the center defender position and Silipo became the leader and symbol of Italy\u2019s famed Settebello, or \u201cseven diamonds\u201d for the next fifteen years.<\/p>\n

His greatest success came early, when he helped Italy win the gold medal over the home team favorite at the \u201892 Olympics in Barcelona. Behind Silipo\u2019s stellar defense, Italy held a 6-3 lead in the third period and seemed to have the game under control, but Spain rallied behind their flamenco-beat clapping fans, and their superstar, Hall of Famer Manuel Estiarte, to send the game into overtime. With defense the key, Italy ended on top when Gandolfi scored the winning goal in the sixth overtime period.<\/p>\n

If there was a more exciting game in Olympic history, it might be the bronze medal match in Atlanta, when Silipo\u2019s Settebello beat the Hungarians, again in overtime.<\/p>\n

Playing for CN Posillipo, in the world\u2019s premier professional league, Silipo led his team to seven league championships and scored 574 goals in 462 appearances, a record for a defender. He retired in 2006 and is the fifteenth Italian to enter the Hall of Fame and the eighth for water polo.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarlo Silipo is a great role model,\u201d said Paolo Barelli, President of the Italian Swimming Federation. \u201cA leader in the tank, professional in his training, generous with advice and encouragement to his teammates and always congratulatory for his opponents.\u201d<\/p>\n