US Women’s Water Polo Team Suffers First Olympic Defeat in 13 Years

U.S. women's water polo team members listen to their national anthem ahead of a match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on July 28, 2021. Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Reigning world champions the United States lost 10–9 to Hungary at the Tatsumi Water Polo Centre on Wednesday—their first defeat at the Olympics since 2008 and ending the longest winning streak in women’s water polo at the Games at 12 matches.

Gunning for their third straight gold in Tokyo, the U.S. women last failed to win a match at the Olympics in the group stages of London 2012, when they drew with Spain in their third game.