The identification of specific physical characteristics that may contribute to success in sports, as well as the possible structural differences among athletes in various sports has been the subject of great interest to sport scientists and coaches. The aim of this study was to describe in great depth the morphological characteristics of competitive female water polo players according to competitive level and playing position. For this purpose, 49 elite female water polo players (age 21.7±5.4 with a training experience: 8±2.9) were measured. Twenty nine of these players were from the ?1 Greek championship category and twenty from the senior Greek National team. Furthermore, these players were divided into positions of 22 wings (perimetal), 13 center backs and 14 center forwards. A t-test for independent samples was used, to compare the differences in anthropometric and body composition characteristics between the two levels and a one way ANOVA was followed by post hoc tukey analysis to compare the differences between the three competitive positions. The female water polo athletes of this study did not differ in height and body mass compared to that of international female water polo players who had taken part in the Water Polo World Championship (Perth, 1991), but they did differ in adiposity (sum of 6 skinfolds 112.5±28.4 mm, body fat percentage 23±4.9 %) and somatotype (4.5-4.8-2.8). In addition, according to competitive level,the national team players differed from the ?1 players in specific anthropometric variables and in mesomorphy. Furthermore, according to the playing position, the center forwards had larger arm flexed girth, as well as higher bone density, body fat (%) and sum of 6 skinfolds. This data could supplement nternational publications related to the anthropometric characteristics of competitive female water polo players.
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