Intro:

Italy's male water polo team expect the competition at the Olympics to be fierce this year but are hoping to make a dream come true by winning gold in London.

Script:

Italy's water polo team have been hard at work at their training camp in Ostia as they go in search of a first Olympic gold medal since 1992 in London this summer..

Four years ago in Beijing Italy finished a disappointing ninth but have improved massively since then, winning the world championships last year.

However, the water polo promises to be one of the closest events at the Olympics and Serbia, Croatia, the USA and reigning Olympic champions Hungary will all fancy their chances.

Captain Stefano Tempesti remains cautious about Italy's chances and says anyone of nine teams could claim gold.

SOUNDBITE (Italian): Stefano Tempesti, captain of the Italian water polo team:

"The rivals we fear the most are the Eastern Europe countries - as always Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia, and also the Hungarians, as they have been Olympic champions three times in a row. However, at this moment, water polo is played at such a high level that there are at least eight or nine teams aiming for the podium and therefore this is going to be an Olympics with several surprises."

For Italy's coach Sandro Campagna, Olympic success would be a "dream come true" and he predicts his team will go all out for the win.

SOUNDBITE (Italian): Sandro Campagna, coach of the Italian water polo team:

"We are training for these Olympics because we have a dream, a dream that started two years and half ago even when we being placed ninth of tenth. I told these guys that we could aim for the Olympic podium. We have quickened our pace and now we hope to make this dream come true because we throwing in all our enthusiasm, all our passion, all of our determination to make it happen."

The Italian men have been drawn in Group A for the Olympics, along with Greece, Kazakhstan, Spain, Australia and Croatia