Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The World Aquatics Scholarship Programme, launched in 2014, provides financial and technical support to aquatics athletes who lack access to high-performance training locally by placing them in affiliated Training Centres and Water Polo clubs, mainly in Europe. The water polo scholarship, started in 2024, focuses on enhancing individual skills and building connections between clubs and national teams.
Brazilian athlete Ana Carolina Neves is currently part of this programme, training with Unió Esportiva d'Horta (UE Horta) in Spain. According to UE Horta's Technical Director and Olympic silver medallist Xavi Garcia, Neves has adapted quickly, showing athletic improvement and personal growth despite moving abroad for the first time.
Garcia notes that Neves has increased her training intensity, absorbed new tactical concepts, and integrated well within the team. Neves describes the Spanish training environment as more competitive and demanding than in Brazil, which has helped her meet challenges and adapt.
She especially highlights the higher intensity and seriousness of daily sessions as a key difference. This experience has advanced her sporting skills and mindset, with the advice to "trust the process and the adaptation, even when results do not come immediately," resonating with her.
This scholarship experience demonstrates the programme’s potential to elevate athletes’ development through international exposure and support.