TALENTED Dunfermline Water Polo Club star Niamh Moloney could be heading for the global stage next month after starring at the European Water Polo Championship.

Last week, Press Sport reported that Niamh, one of 14 players in the squad, helped Great Britain's senior women to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

Held in Eindhoven, Netherlands, it was the first appearance at the tournament for a GB senior women's squad in a decade, and they defied the odds to reach the quarter-finals.

Now, after finishing in seventh place overall, they have secured a spot at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, which will be held in Doha, Qatar, from February 2-18.

After helping the team qualifying for the European Championships in June, Niamh had targeted a top eight finish, and they topped Group D after wins over Slovakia, Bulgaria - against whom she scored twice - and Germany.

They then faced Israel for a place in the quarter-finals, progressing in dramatic fashion via a penalty shoot-out, following a thrilling 9-9 draw, to face the hosts.

The Dutch, who are the reigning world champions, proved too strong, recording a 25-6 victory on their way to winning the competition, but GB then participated in the 5th-8th place semi-finals.

A seventh place finish at the tournament offered a ticket for the World Championships and, although they were beaten 21-5 by current Olympic bronze medal winners Hungary, their final match of the tournament, against Croatia, gave them the opportunity to claim seventh spot.

In another exciting contest, Niamh and her team-mates found themselves 8-7 behind at the end of the third period, and then conceded again in the final quarter, but rallied to fight back and claim an 11-9 victory.

That clinched a place at the World Championships, after they ensured that they were one of the top three finishers outside of those that had already qualified, that placed at the European competition.

It will be the first time that a British water polo outfit will contest World Championship fixtures since 2013, and they will play 2023 bronze medallists Italy, South Africa and Canada in Group D.

Craig Figes, Swim England water polo programme lead, said: "The return of a GB team to the World Championships in Doha is fantastic for the sport of water polo in the UK, 11 years on from our last appearance at that level.

"The hard work of this squad, players and staff has led to the biggest buzz around water polo since London 2012.

"Their performances at the recent European Championships were outstanding, and they deserve their chance to compete at the Worlds in Doha – and I hope this is the start of a really positive era for British water polo."

GB will begin their campaign at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday, February 4, against Italy.