Three
Cronulla water polo players are off to the London Olympic Games after being
named in the Australian women’s team at a ceremony in Canberra today.
Beijing
Olympic bronze medallist goalkeeper Alicia McCormack will be joined on the
plane by first time Olympians Holly Lincoln-Smith and Nicola Zagame.
Lincoln-Smith's selection follows her sister Emma's Olympic debut in the
skeleton at the 2010 Winter Olympics and makes the pair the first Australian
siblings in history to attend a Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Since
making its Olympic debut in Sydney 12 years ago, women’s water polo has gone
from strength to strength – and with it the Australian team. With two Olympic
medals already in the bag (gold in Sydney and bronze in Beijing), the Aussie
Stingers will be looking for nothing less than a podium finish.
Another
Shire resident headed to London is the team’s head coach Greg McFadden who
praised the effort of the local trio in earning selection.
"For
one club to have three players selected is a great achievement and Alicia,
Holly and Nicola have thoroughly deserved their selection in the team,”
McFadden said. "Nicola and Holly have been on the radar to make these
Olympics since 2008 and for Alicia to be selected for a second Olympics is
testimony to the quality of athlete she is.
"All
three of them have worked extremely hard to get to this point and I know they
will play a major part in our success in London." McFadden said the
team was very versatile and will build their gold medal charge on a solid defence.
“The team has a great mixture of experience and hopefully youthful excitement
& energy,” McFadden, himself an Olympian as a player, said.
Women’s
water polo gets underway on Day 3 of the Games, Monday 30 July with Australia
playing Italy.
The full
Olympic draw and match schedule can be seen here.
The
women’s water polo section of the 2012 Australian Olympic Team:
Goalkeepers:
Alicia McCormack (1983, NSW), Victoria Brown (1985,
VIC),
Field
Players: Kate Gynther (Captain-QLD, 82), Gemma Beadsworth (Vice Captain-WA,
87), Glencora Ralph (WA, 88), Ashleigh Southern (QLD, 92), Nicola Zagame (NSW,
90), Jane Moran (QLD, 85), Holly Lincoln Smith (NSW, 88), Rowena Webster (VIC,
87), Melissa Rippon (QLD, 80), Sophie Smith (QLD, 86), Bronwen Knox (QLD, 86)
Head Coach:
Greg McFadden Assistant Coaches: Ryan Moar, Dalibor Maslan
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