Which country won the first Olympic men's water polo tournament in 1900?

Great Britain won the first Olympic men’s water polo tournament at the 1900 Summer Olympics.

The British team defeated Belgium 7–2 in the final at the River Seine in Paris. Water polo was one of the sports added to the Olympic program in 1900, and Great Britain’s victory made it the inaugural Olympic champion in the event.

Seven club teams entered the tournament, but several were effectively national representatives. Great Britain was represented by Osborne Swimming Club of Manchester, while Belgium’s finalist was Brussels Swimming and Water Polo Club. The competition therefore had a club-based structure unlike the national-team format familiar today.

Water polo remained on the Olympic program after its debut, though the rules and tournament systems changed over time. The women’s tournament was added much later, beginning at Sydney 2000. Great Britain’s 1900 title is distinct from Hungary’s later dominance in men’s water polo.