Olympics 2024: How the Stingers went from a ‘dark place’ to 24-year best in Paris

Today she is glowing, off to the top European water polo club – a year ago Abby Andrews and the Stingers were in a ‘volatile’ position. The star reveals how they turned it around in time for Paris.

Less than a year ago the Aussie Stingers were in a “dark place” and the team environment “volatile” but Abby Andrews says a huge cultural shift turned it all around and spurred them on to their best Olympic performance in 24 years.

Andrews played a key role in the Stingers Olympic campaign – she scored four goals in five minutes to get the Stingers back on par with the USA – before Australia claimed a historic penalty shoot out win.

The Stingers went on to play Spain in the gold medal match going down 9-11 to take the silver medal.

Andrews, playing at her second Olympics, said a lot had unfolded within the national team in the three years since Tokyo.

It culminated with a program review in 2023 and the appointment of new coach Bec Rippon.

Andrews said the review caused a serious disturbance to the squad – just a year out from the Olympics.

Abby Andrews says a huge cultural shift has turned the Stingers around. Picture: Getty Images

THE FALL OUT

“It brought up a lot of emotion and a lot of uncertainty regarding the direction of our program and leading into another Olympic Games it was pretty frightening knowing that we’d worked for three years to build our program up and then for it all to come crashing down.

“We had to start fresh again, it was pretty daunting. We actually had a few girls leave the program and a massive new squad implemented – it was such a volatile time.

“I remember the first time we all joined back up after that review and it was just emotions everywhere. We talked about how we had, had four head coaches in six years and that all we needed was consistency and for someone to believe in us.”

Predrag Mihailovic who coached the side at the Tokyo Olympics was replaced by Paul Oberman in November 2021.

Oberman departed citing “personal reasons” late 2023 – with Rippon named as his replacement.

Rippon, who was the assistant coach at the 2021 Games, is the first woman to coach the Stingers.

The Stingers were in a bad place not too long ago. Picture: Getty Images

Andrews said she proved the key.

“ (Rippon) was close to leaving the sport herself but she knew she had to be that consistent leader for us all and honestly it was absolutely instrumental that we were able to have her because she was level headed,” Andrews said.

“She’s experienced being on the platform at the Olympics before, up on that podium and I think her experience, her calmness, her excitement for us all was just everything we needed.

“We had to go through some really dark periods together where we were completely vulnerable, like a lot of emotions and tears were shared, but at the end of the day, I honestly think it brought us closer.”

Andrews said her Games experience in Paris was hugely different from Tokyo – not because there was no threat of a global pandemic or the result.

“In my first Tokyo cycle it was very much business orientated – the way we would act with each other and there were definitely a few different groups within the program – this time around it really was a family,” Andrews said.

“A family that got us across the finish line. I remember hearing when I was younger that you don’t have to love all your teammates, you’re not expected to be best friends but this time around I would have been happy rooming with anyone, going to dinner, chatting to anyone on the team because it really was so close knit because of all that drama and the tumultuous atmosphere of the program just nine months ago.”

The Stingers took out silver in Paris. Picture:nTertius Pickard

PARIS OLYMPICS

The cultural shift and rebuild that followed clearly worked with the Stingers walking away with a silver medal.

It wasn’t the first time the team had finished with a medal – the Stingers won gold in Sydney in 2000 after trumping USA with a winning goal in the final moments of the match.

They picked up a bronze in 2008 and 2012 but hadn’t finished on the podium since.

Andrews said it was hard to pick though whether the silver medal or the win over USA in their semi-final was the bigger moment.

The 23-year-old found a new level in the semi-final clash with the USA – scoring four goals in five minutes.

Can the Stingers go one better in LA? Picture: AFP

“I honestly don’t know what came about with me in that game,” Andrews said.

“I just remember it was 5-2 down, I looked over at the US bench and they looked a little bit smug, so I thought if I don’t give it a go then who is to say what could happen.”

The first one went in, then the second. When the third opportunity presented itself Andrews said she contemplated passing it to her teammate – thinking I won’t get a third.

“But my teammate was mouthing ‘shoot it’, I took it on the spot and it went in,” she said.

“And then another one was just straight confidence, I was feeling on top of the world.”

Andrews said the semi-final was probably the biggest game of her career and the tournament.

“It really helped put us on the map and the fact it was against the US just gained so much more media attention then we ever anticipated,” she said.

It was a massive moment for the Stingers and Australian water polo. Picture: Getty Images

LIFE CHANGING

Andrews stand out performance across the Games has landed her a professional water polo contract with top European club Olympiacos.

A host of Australian water polo stars have played for the Greece based club, including Bronwen Knox, Hannah Buckling and Keesja Gofers.

“Ever since I was 15 I knew if I was continuing in the sport all I wanted to do was go and play at Olympiacos, to follow in the steps of all my inspirations I grew up watching,” Andrews said.

“The extra performance measure of playing for money and being actually paid to play and perform is really usual, it instils a bit more drive and reaffirms why you play.”

Andrews said the Olympic performance had given everyone a new sense of purpose and motivation for the next four year cycle.

“It’s fun and enjoyable right now and it’s a great environment to be a part of,” she said.

Originally published as Olympics 2024: How the Stingers went from a ‘dark place’ to 24-year best in Paris