Gabriella Palm a natural when she first plunged into the water polo pool – but there is more to her than talent

Australian goalkeeper Gabriella Palm was a natural when she first plunged into the water polo pool – but there is more to her than talent.

It was 2009 and Gabriella Palm had taken up water polo at her new school to make friends.

While she had been a keen swimmer, she knew little about water polo but she had one thing in her favour that she did not know at the time – natural talent.

That silken skill, and having the bravery to volunteer for the loneliest position in the pool – goalkeeper – mixed a cocktail of success that would see her blossom into an Olympian-in-waiting.

“I started (as goalkeeper) at Grammar because no one wanted to be a goalkeeper,’’ the Chelmer-raised Palm said. “My freestyle was not great but I was always good at breaststroke so I put my hand up.

Australia's goalkeeper Gabriella Palm during the women's bronze medal match between Australia and Hungary. (Photo by Ed JONES / AFP)

“And I found not only did I love the sport, but I had a natural ability which always helps.

“I kept working on it, made a few teams and I was very fortunate to have good coaches along the way to guide me,’’ said the Brisbane Girls Grammar alumni.

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Now Palm finds herself the incumbent No. 1 in the Australian team after an apprenticeship which started in 2017 with a debut and was solidified last year when she was a member of the world championship bronze medal winning Australian team.

But natural talent only gets you so far.

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You also need desire, grit, persistence and belief – particularly when you hit adversity as Palm did last year when she broke her finger as the shadows of the world championships grew close.

“Breaking my finger was a frustrating time,’’ she said.

Gabi Palm is the Australian water polo goal keeper who plays with Brisbane Barracudas. She is a past student of Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School.

“I had to miss out on the world league finals.

“But I believe everything happens for a reason and I was able to work hard and get my fitness and strength up in that time and really work on myself so that come selection for the world champs, I was ready.

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“I can see that every year I am growing as a person and as a player. It is showing in my water polo.

“I only debuted for the Stingers in 2017 and to think I am only one of two goalkeepers left in the Olympic squad. I have really progressed each year.’’