UQ's Gabi Palm and Abby Andrews have helped create a powerful legacy by winning an inaugural Olympic silver medal. UQ alum Louise Evans (Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) '82) reports from Paris.
An historic silver medal won by the women's water polo team has re-established Australia as world leaders who will inspire and build the next generation of Olympic Amazons.
Liz Weekes, a Sydney 2000 Olympic water polo champion, also predicted that the next 2 Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane would reap the rewards won by the Australian Stingers in Paris.
Weekes, now an Australian Olympic Committee executive member, was poolside all week as the Stingers maintained their unbeaten rush to the final, where they were stopped by the fearless Spanish favourites in a hard-fought gold-medal match (11-9) .
Weekes was not dismayed by missing the gold, instead pointing to the guaranteed success that silver will deliver.
"The girls put it all out there, I am so proud of them," said Weekes, who was instrumental in winning the fight to have women's water polo included for the first time at the Sydney Games, where Australia won an inaugural gold medal.
"They were so close to the Spanish - the top teams in the world are all so close, there's just a few goals between them.
"Our girls have been phenomenal all week, and improved with every game. [Coach] Bec Rippon has created such an incredible team culture. Those girls are brave and they really had a crack."
Weekes, who was the Sydney 2000 goalkeeper, had special praise for Australia's current keeper and UQ alum Gabi Palm (Bachelor of Behvioural Science '22), who made 69 saves during her Paris Olympic campaign.
"We have an incredible goalkeeper in Gabi," Weekes said.
"She is a calm brick wall. She has been incredible all week and has kept Australia in it."
Weekes also commended top scorer Alice Williams and fellow gun Abby Andrews - a UQ Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours) student - who scored 12 goals en route to the final, as well as the tenacity of the whole team who she said have created a powerful decade-long legacy in Paris.
"Alice and Abby know how to put the ball in the back of the net. They are weapons. I am glad I do not have to face them," Weekes said.
"The Stingers have evolved so much and it has been an honour and a privilege to watch them in Paris. They are next-level. My daughter plays water polo too and they are her heroes.
"What they have done will inspire a new generation by winning this silver. It is historic. They have put Australia back in the medals where we should be.
"I have never been so proud to be an Aussie Stinger. I felt like I was in the water with them. It was a fight to get women's water polo in the Olympics, not just to win our gold in 2000 but for this silver medal and for the next medal.
"It has put Australia in a great position for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This team is young and most of them will go again. Their success will secure more funding and put Australia on an even better footing for another crack in LA and Brisbane [2032].
"Nothing could be more inspiring to all those teenagers watching back home. They backed themselves and believed in each other. They are fearless and brave. Young girls looking up to them will thrive because of them."
Despite formidable form heading into the final, Australia ran into a Spanish Armada, built on strong defence, a powerful attack, deceptive plays, fast manoeuvres and unbreakable confidence.
Williams, Australia's lead scorer with 5 finals goals - and the top scorer in Paris with 2 - said she was overwhelmed with pride and paid tribute to former Olympic players, including Weekes, who are part of the team's legacy and history.
"We were undefeated until the gold-medal game and no one expected that but us," Williams said.
"We surprised the world.
"This is huge. I really hope we've inspired a lot of young kids because it starts from the grassroots, and that's how we got here. I'm standing on the shoulders of all the Stingers that came before me."
After a 2-2 first quarter, Spain snuck ahead for a 3-2 second-quarter lead and stayed in front for the rest of the final played in front of a howling crowd of 15,000.
Spain led 7-5 at the third break and were on-course for gold in the fourth when Australian coach Rippon reminded the Stingers that this was a "never-say-die moment" in history.
They knew it but couldn't execute it.
The odds were stacked against Australia in the final as Spain were the dual Olympic silver medallists from Tokyo in 2021 and London in 2012, plus Australia had only ever beaten them once in their last 7 matches.
The Stingers' unbeaten path to the Paris Olympic final was in itself historic. They won all their 4 pool matches defeating China (7-5), the Netherlands (15-14) in a penalty shootout, Canada (10-7) and Hungary (14-12) in another penalty shootout.
In the quarter-finals they defeated Greece (9-6), an emotional victory that broke a 12-year Olympic drought.
They then stunned the mighty USA (14-13) in the semi-finals, guaranteeing the Stingers their first medal since winning bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.
It was goalkeeper Palm who made the crucial save that stopped the USA assault in sudden death and lifted Australia into the gold-medal match.
"I'm just so proud to represent Australia, it's unbelievable to win silver and it hasn't sunk in yet," Palm said.
"To have my parents and supporters here is just so special and you can't put a price on that."
The Stingers have now won 4 Olympic medals since water polo was introduced for women in Sydney, including the gold there and bronze at Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.
They then suffered a 2-Games drought when they lost the quarter-finals in Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
The silver medal in Paris has also written another significant chapter in the Stingers' Olympic journey as they build towards Los Angeles in 2028 and another home Games in 2032.
Brisbane will bring the Stingers' story full circle, 32 years after their Games debut and their sole gold medal - so far.
Celebrations were huge for Andrews who had 40 family members cheering her on in Paris, thanks to her dad Ross. It took a year of planning but dad managed to hire a villa to accommodate the Andrews clan just outside Paris. They even booked a cook to make sure everyone stayed fed and watered.
Palm, meanwhile, was counting her blessings that she literally fell into the role of keeper while still at school at Brisbane Girls Grammar. When nobody wanted to be the keeper her mates pulled her aside and said "why don't you try".
"I had nothing to lose and it kind of just went from there."
