Women’s water polo team has added an unofficial 14th Stinger to Olympic roster as new mum Keesja Gofers plans for Paris

Water polo star, Keesja Gofers is showing no signs of slowing down as she heads to her third Olympics as a new mum, with baby Teleri set to warm the hearts of Australia this July.

Keesja Gofers heads to the Paris Olympics as a new mum. Picture: Lachie Millard.

Meet the adorable new member of the Australian Olympic women’s water polo team that has sent everyone goo-goo ga-ga.

The 14-month-old daughter of Australian international star Keesja Gofers, little Teleri has become the life and soul of a Stingers team that has its heart set on winning gold at this year’s Paris Olympics.

The oldest member of the 13-member squad selected for Paris, Gofers joins the Stingers captain Zoe Arancini in making her third straight appearance at the biggest sports event on the planet.

“It’s been a journey,” Gofers told this masthead. “Every Olympics has been so different.

“When I was fresh faced and was going into Rio, all my eggs were in that basket trying to make that team. And it was just the most amazing experience and then I got addicted to it.

“So I came back and went for Tokyo. And of course there was the delay and that was such a different sort of experience as well, without the crowds.

Keesja Gofers will become just the second mum to represent Australia’s water polo team at an Olympics. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“And this time I have my baby, so that’s just added a whole new dimension. The juggling act is extreme but I’ve had amazing support from my husband, my parents and my family.

“It’s truly been just such a wild ride this time around.”

While there’s been plenty of mothers who have competed at the highest levels in other sports, it’s still a rarity in water polo.

The only other Australian mother picked to play for the Stingers at the Olympics was Sydney 2000 gold medallist Bronwyn Smith (nee Mayers), who just happens to be the current national team manager.

Gofers, 34, said she always planned to make comeback to her sport after having a baby, despite not fully understanding all the challenges that it would present.

“About 20 weeks into our pregnancy with Teleri, I came back to training, and trained all the way through. I did gym the morning I gave birth,” she said.

Baby Teleri is the newest addition to the Stringers squad. Picture: Supplied.

“I got straight back into training six weeks later. After medical clearance and I was at my first national camp after ten weeks, which was quite an experience.

“I’ve always enjoyed exercising and swimming so it made me feel good, but the physical demands were not the most challenging, crazily enough.

“When you’re an athlete, you put yourself first and I’ve been an athlete more than half my life, so to make that shift where all your emotions and your hormones are going towards the care and the safety of this precious thing, that was a real adjustment.

“I remember there were times I was going to training and watching the monitor when my husband would look after her and if she started to cry I would as well.

“My psyche told me to stop doing that because it was personal torment but when your baby’s born, you want to be with them and give them everything that’s the best.

“I just hope that I’m being a role model for her and really showing that dreams don’t have to vanish when you’re a mum.”

The Stingers haven’t won Olympic gold since Sydney but go into Paris with strong hopes of a medal after finishing fifth at Tokyo and fourth at last year’s world championships.

For the first time at an Olympics, they will be led by a female head coach, with the highly respected Bec Rippon taking over the reins.

The squad features seven debutantes, including 19-year-old Sienna Green, who will become the youngest ever Stinger to play at the Olympics, and four members who made their maiden appearances at Tokyo.

The Australian Women's Water Polo team will feature seven Olympic debutants come July in Paris. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

“I think you can expect the Stingers to have the attitude of going after everything, we’re in Paris to be competitive and we’re there to chase a medal,” Rippon said.

“The relentless Aussie style that we want to play is what we will be bringing in less than 80 days’ time.”

Squad:

Zoe Arancini (captain), Keesja Gofers, Abby Andrews, Elle Armit, Bronte Halligan, Tilly Kearns, Gabi Palm, Alice Williams, Sienna Hearn, Sienna Green, Genevieve Longman, Danijela Jackovich, Charlize Andrews

Originally published as Women’s water polo team has added an unofficial 14th Stinger to Olympic roster as new mum Keesja Gofers plans for Paris