Anna Espar Llaquet (born 8 January 1993) is a Spanish water polo player who won the gold medal at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.[1] She also won the silver medal at the 2012[2] and 2020 Summer Olympics.[3]
Anni Espar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Anna Espar Llaquet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Barcelona, Spain | 8 January 1993||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 67 kg (148 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Driver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Handedness | R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | CN Mataró | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010– | Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Espar joined the University of Southern California women's water polo team in 2012.[4] As a Freshman she was named to the ACWPC All-America First Team,[5] All-MPSF First Team,[6] MPSF All-Newcomer Team[6] and MPSF Player of the Week on 25 February after scoring 8 goals in her first major tournament as a Trojan.[7]
In 2013, she won the NCAA in the longest match in championship game history.[8] Espar scored the winning goal in the third sudden-death overtime period.[9]
Espar played on the Spain national team which won the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[2] She scored 15 goals and was named to the Olympic All-Star Team.[2]
In 2012 Espar was named Best European Female Water Polo Player by the LEN.[10]
Espar joined the Sidney Uni Lions women's water polo team in 2017 winning the Australian League and ending with an unprecedented undefeated season for the Lions (23 wins and a draw in 24 matches). Espar was also named to the 2017 NWPL All Star Team.[11]
Espar also played on the Spanish national team which won the silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[3] She scored again 15 goals and was named to the Olympic All-Star Team for the second time in her career.[12]
Espar's younger sister, Clara, is also a professional water polo player.