Last updated at 09:55, Tuesday, 31 July 2012

CHLOE Wilcox made history for Team GB as she scored the nation’s first-ever Olympic field goal as they were agonisingly beaten 7-6 in their opening women's water polo group match Russia. PAUL TURNER reports from London 2012.

Star: Chloe Wilcox has been selected for the GB team for the London Olympics

Wilcox – who earlier had become the first Brit to touch the ball in any Games for Britain – and fellow Cumbrian Alex Rutlidge dived into the pool against the World bronze medallists.

Wilcox scored GB’s second – the first was from a Francesca Painter-Smith penalty – as the teams ended the first half in the Water Polo Arena tied at 5-5.

The third quarter saw only a single Russian shot fly between the three-metre by 90cm goal-frame, with the score 6-5 to the Eastern European side going into the last eight-minute period.

GB pulled it back to 6-6 as Angie Winstanley-Smith completed her hat-trick, but the Russians scored the winner with four minutes to go.

The duo were part of a team taking on Russia in Olympic Park, Stratford, aiming to cause a big upset.

With only eight teams in the competition, all the sides will advance from the group stages, but better results will mean an easier draw.

Wilcox, from the small village of Reagill, near Shap, and Burton-in-Kendal’s Rutlidge followed Kendal’s Glen Robinson in competing in the water polo at the Games, after he was part of the men’s team beaten 13-4 by Romania on Sunday night.

See Tuesday’s Evening Mail for full report and reaction.

First published at 17:51, Monday, 30 July 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk