‘We’re so proud of that’: Stingers take home silver medal after brave loss to Spain

Australia’s quest to win women’s water polo gold for the first time since Sydney 2000 might have fallen short on Saturday against Spain but the Stingers say they will leave Paris blessed with fond memories of a magnificent campaign.

The final scoreline of 11-9 reflected the match as Spain, favoured to win gold, played with a two or three goal buffer for the majority of what was a highly physical contest.

Australia’s silver medal was a better result than expected, which is why there were no tears or gut-wrenching scenes at the La Defense Arena as Spain celebrated their clinical win.

“It’s obviously a disappointing result … we would have liked to have clinched a gold there … but we really left it all out there in the pool,” said Australia’s Bronte Halligan, the daughter of rugby league star Daryl Halligan. “It’s been an amazing Olympics and we’ve had the best time.

“Getting us back on the podium is huge and we’re so proud of that.

“It’s been insane from here to back home and all the supporters in the stands. It’s been a wild ride and it’s just been so cool to have everyone come on board. We hope we’ve inspired little girls back home to come try the sport out.”

Sienna Hearn (Australia) and Judith Forca Ariza (Spain) clash in the pool. Credit: Getty Images

Five of the Stingers’ 13 squad members weren’t born when Australia last won gold at Sydney 2000 - a match remembered for Yvette Higgins’ spectacular goal with one second remaining to down the United States.

Bronze medals followed in 2008 and 2012 but the Rio and Tokyo campaigns did not yield medals. It’s why players knew that reaching a gold medal match was a major achievement in itself.

The Australians sang the national anthem before the match but wanted to be doing it after the final whistle had sounded. The significance was not lost on Tilly Kearns, whose father Phil was in the stands watching.

The former Wallabies captain was a tough-as-nails hooker and a member of two rugby world cup-winning Australian teams. Here, wearing a gold shirt, Kearns was in tears at one stage, bursting with pride as his daughter was presented with an Olympic silver medal.

Australia pose after receiving their silver medal. Credit: Getty Images

“That moment up there, singing the anthem, is what dreams are made of,” said Tilly Kearns. “We’ve dreamt of it since we were little girls. To secure a medal is insane. Very emotional.”

This was a final that Australia just couldn’t get into, but it was not through a lack of intensity or effort.

Alice Williams’ goal inside the first two minutes was about as good as it got for Australia as Spain’s goalkeeper Martina Terre produced the game of her life with breathtaking saves.

By the end of the match, Terre had saved 63 per cent of the shots that came her way, compared with Australia’s Gabriella Palm who stopped 39 per cent. Ultimately, it was the difference, on a day when Australia had to be near perfect.

The Stingers lost to Spain in Rio (12-10) and Tokyo (15-9) but couldn’t reverse that trend in a match where the Europeans had their noses in front from the fourth minute onwards.

Williams scored five of Australia’s nine goals, while Sienna Hearn managed two of her own from two shots.

“It’s kind of hard to come to terms with this at the moment because no matter what, whether I was the lead goalscorer or not, a win is a team effort and unfortunately we couldn’t get there today,” Williams said. “We put in the effort until the very end, but it’s been a little disappointing.

“I really hope we’ve inspired a lot of young kids to start because it starts from the grassroots, and that’s how we got here. I’m standing on the shoulders of all the Stingers that came before me.”