Australia struck gold in the World Student Games men’s water polo competition, defeating Croatia 6–4 in the final.

It’s the first time an Australian men’s team has stood at the top of the medal podium: they previously won bronze at the 1995 World Student Games, when the team’s present coach Paul Oberman was on the team.

The Aussies — many of whom will now come under close scrutiny for selection in the Australian team at the world championships — managed to come back from two goals down in the first quarter, to keep their unblemished record at this year’s championships.

Coach Paul Oberman was ecstatic with the result.

‘The gold medal was there for the taking and even when we were two goals down, the team was determined to win in style,’ he said.

‘This historic victory in the cradle of world water polo supremacy shows that Australian men can match it with our women who constantly win medals.’

For once it’s not a European team dominating a major men’s tournament with the world powerhouses of the sport left to scramble for the minor rankings.

The Australian team consisted of five former AIS scholarship holders: Richard Campbell, Johnno Cotterill, Rob Maitland, Anthony Martin and Luke Quinlivan.