Ex-SEA Games champions reunite for silver

Their wrinkles may be more pronounced, their hair grey or thinning, and some are sporting bulging tummies.

- David Lee

But with the same competitive spirit and guile when they dominated the SEA Games in the 2000s, the Merlion Masters B – a predominantly Singaporean side – captured the water polo men's 40+ silver on Aug 22, the final day of the World Aquatics Masters Championships.

In front of family and friends at the WCH Arena, they beat another Singapore-based side Merlion Masters A 15-8 to finish second out of seven teams in the round-robin competition with five wins.

Their only defeat came in a 12-5 reverse by The Olympic Club, who finished champions, while ACS Hello Sport clinched bronze.

Merlion Masters B coach and captain Marcus Ng said: "We have a group of very close friends and ex-teammates, many of whom haven't played for years.

"So, when we knew the world championships were going to be in Singapore 1½ years ago, I told them this could be the last chance for us to play water polo at the international level at home. If that's not a good enough reason to play, I don't know what is."