Paris 2024 Preview: Water Polo

Twenty-four years after capturing Australia’s first Olympic Water Polo gold, the Aussie Stingers and Aussie Sharks will be looking for another golden performance at the Paris Olympics.

In Sydney 2000, the Stingers won the first ever women’s Water Polo gold medal.

Aussie Stingers
Coached by Olympic bronze medallist Bec Rippon, the Stingers have a string of recent top five global finishes, including fifth at the Tokyo Olympic Games and fourth at last year’s World Championships.

Captain Zoe Arancini and Keesja Gofers will compete at their third Games, Abby Andrews, Elle Armit, Bronte Halligan, Tilly Kearns and Gabi Palm all return for their second Olympics, while six athletes will make their Olympic debut.

Nineteen-year-old Sienna Green will make history as the youngest Australian woman to compete in Olympic Water Polo, surpassing the previous holder Ash Southern (London 2012) by 13 days.

Keesja returns to her third Games with a new supporter, one-year-old daughter Teleri. 

Keesja becomes the third Aussie Stinger to compete at an Olympics as a mother, joining Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympian Bronwyn Smith (nee Mayers), who is currently the Aussie Stingers Team Manager, and former team mate Lea Yanitsas (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020).

The Aussie Stingers play their first match on day one of the Olympic Games, on Sunday 28 July 4:05am AEST.

Aussie Sharks
The Aussie Sharks head to the Paris Olympic Games as underdogs, finishing 11th at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. 

During their Paris Olympic Games preparation, the Aussie Sharks have shown they can match it with some of the best teams in the world by winning silver at the World League Intercontinental Cup in Peru in 2022.

Co-captains Nathan Power and Blake Edwards return for their second Games. 

Lachy Edwards, brother of Blake, continues the family tradition with his second Games, with the remaining 10 team members making their Olympic debut.

Queenslanders Nic Porter and Marcus Berehulak, West Australians John Hedges and Luke Pavillard, and New South Welshmen Angus Lambie, Charlie Negus, Chaz Poot, Jacob Mercep, Matthew Byrnes and Milos Maksimovic complete the Sharks squad for Paris.

Blake Edwards returns for his second Olympic Games as a first-time father, his son Jude born on Mother’s Day, 12 May 2024.

The Aussie Sharks will play their first match on Sunday 28 July at 6:30pm AEST.

Ones to Watch 

Triple Olympian Zoe Arancini will captain her side for the first time. Returning for their second Olympics, Bronte Halligan, Gabi Palm, Tilly Kearns and Abby Andrews will all be ones to watch, looking to expand on their Tokyo experience and help lead the Aussie Stingers towards the podium.

For the first time at an Olympic Games, the Aussie Sharks will be led by co-captains Nathan Power and Blake Edwards.

Reigning Olympic and world champion USA is favourite in the women’s competition, with a fourth Olympic gold medal set firmly in its sights.

In the men’s competition, European powerhouses Croatia, Italy, Spain and host nation France will all be ones to watch.

Sport Format 

Water polo is a team sport between two teams, with seven players for each team in the water at a time. 

The game consists of four quarters, in which two teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team’s goal; one point is awarded for each goal scored. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins the match. 

If scores are level, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.

Nations go head-to-head in the pool stages, with the top four in each group progressing through to the finals.

Competition Schedule

The women’s water polo competition will take place at the Paris Aquatic Centre (Preliminary rounds), and the Paris La Defense Arena (finals) from 27 July to 10 August. 

The women’s water polo competition is a 10-team tournament. Australia has been drawn in Group A against Netherlands, Canada, China and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Hungary.

The Aussie Stingers will play their first match on day one of the Olympic Games, Sunday 28 July 4:05am AEST.

The Aussie Stingers will have a bye in round two of the women’s water polo competition, before returning to the Aquatics Centre on Wednesday 31 July against the Netherlands at 10pm AEST.

On Friday 2 August, the Aussie Stingers will play against Canada at 10pm AEST, before their final pool match against Hungary on Sunday 4 August at 10pm AEST.

The women’s water polo quarterfinals start on Tuesday 6 August, with medal matches to be played on the second last day of the Games, Saturday 10 August.

The men’s water polo competition will take place at the Paris Aquatic Centre (preliminary rounds), and the Paris La Defense Arena (one preliminary round and the finals) from 28 July to 11 August.

The men’s water polo competition is a 12-team tournament. 

Australia has been drawn in Group B against Tokyo Olympic champions Serbia, bronze medallists Hungary, Japan, Spain and hosts France.

The Aussie Sharks will play their first match on Sunday 28 July 6:30pm AEST.

The second match of the group stage for the Aussie Sharks will be played on Tuesday 30 July at 6:30pm AEST, against Serbia.

The Aussie Sharks will match up against Olympic host nation France in their third match, on Thursday 1 August at 11pm AEST.

On Saturday 3 August, the Aussie Sharks will play against Hungary in their fourth match of the group stages, at 11pm AEST.

The final pool match for the Aussie Sharks will be against Japan on Monday 5 August at 9:35pm AEST.

The men’s water polo quarterfinals start on Wednesday 7 August, with medal matches to be played on the last day of the Paris Olympics, Sunday 11 August.