Ben Hallock headlines US men’s water polo roster for Paris Olympics

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ben Hallock is going back to the Olympics for the third time after he was selected for the U.S. men’s water polo team on Tuesday.

The 13-player roster was announced at a Los Angeles restaurant. The U.S. plays its first game at the Paris Games on July 28 against Italy.

The 26-year-old Hallock played sparingly at the 2016 Olympics. But the 6-foot-6 center was a force in Tokyo, scoring 12 times while causing all sorts of matchup problems for a couple of the world’s biggest water polo powers.

Hallock plays professionally for Pro Recco in Italy. The U.S. captain helped Pro Recco win a third consecutive Italian championship in May.

The U.S. finished sixth at the Tokyo Games. It is looking for its first medal at the Olympics since it won silver in 2008.

Hallock is one of 10 returning players from Tokyo, including Alex Bowen, Alex Obert, Johnny Hooper and Max Irving. Bowen scored a team-high 18 goals at the previous Olympics, and Obert had 11.

Dylan Woodhead made the roster, but his younger brother, Quinn, was one of the final cuts. Chase and Ryder Dodd, another set of brothers, both made the roster. Ryder Dodd, who turned 18 in January, is the youngest player on the team.

The U.S. is 4-4 this year. It plays Spain in the opener of a three-game series in California on June 26.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games