Water polo Olympians testing new waters in Shire Ocean swim

THEY spent most of their time at the Rio Olympics in the water but when it comes to ocean swimming water polo players Lea Yanitsas and Keesja Gofers admit they are ‘fish out of water’.

Rio water polo Olympians Lea Yanitsas and Keesja Gofers will be competing in the Ocean swim during the Sydney International Beach Festival. Pic: Mark Evans

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THEY spent most of their time at the Rio Olympics in the water but when it comes to ocean swimming Australian water polo goalie Lea Yanitsas and teammate Keesja Gofers admit they are ‘fish out of water’.

Yanitsas and Gofers, who made her Olympic debut in Rio, will return to the water together for the first time since the Games when they line up in the Shire Ocean swim at the upcoming International Beach Festival at Cronulla.

But both have warned they won’t be making their presence felt in the event.

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“I haven’t go any sort of shot of winning it,’’ Gofers laughed.

“I’m also not used to waves. I’ll probably got the wrong way.’’

Yanitsas admitted she wasn’t even a good swimmer when she took up the sport.

“I’m a goalie, I tread water for 60 minutes,’’ she said.

“I’m proficient now but I wasn’t when I started.

“I could swim for survival; but that was about all.’’

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Gofers and teammate Yanitsas are yet to commit to campaigning for the Tokyo Olympics after the Stingers fell short of their goal of a medal in Rio when knocked out of the Games in the quarter-finals. But both have indicated next year’s world championships are in their sights.

Long-serving coach Greg McFadden has since stepped down as coach of the Stingers after 12 years at the helm.

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“We don’t know who the new coach is or the new program, but there’s a great opportunity to rebuild and refocus and to take the world on again. It’s exciting,’’ Gofers said.

“You have to bounce back and what happened will make us more determined.

“When you have a setback you always want to prove your training is more focused and determined that ever.’’

Entries are now open for the Shire Ocean swim which is part of the inaugural International Beach Festival at Cronulla in November.

A board riders battle, a pro assist, the Shire Mile and assorted other events for families, children and elite athletes will run alongside the Sydney International women’s pro surfing event which runs from November 3-6.

For more information, or to enter events such as the Shire Ocean swim or Shire Mile, go to the main site of the International Beach Festival.

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