# Australia women's Olympic water polo team records and statistics

This article lists various water polo records and statistics in relation to the Australia women's national water polo team at the Summer Olympics.
The Australia women's national water polo team has participated in 5 of 5 official women's water polo tournaments.

## Abbreviations

| Apps | Appearances | Rk | Rank | Ref | Reference | Cap No. | Water polo cap number |
| Pos | Playing position | FP | Field player | GK | Goalkeeper | ISHOF | International Swimming Hall of Fame |
| L/R | Handedness | L | Left-handed | R | Right-handed | Oly debut | Olympic debut in water polo |
| (C) | Captain | p. | page | pp. | pages | | |

## Team statistics
### Comprehensive results by tournament

Note: Results of Olympic qualification tournaments are not included. Last updated: 5 May 2021.

#### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* Q – Qualified for forthcoming tournament
* – Hosts
| Women's team | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | Years |
| Australia | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | Q | 6 |
| Total teams | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | |

### Number of appearances

Last updated: 5 May 2021.

#### Legend

* Year$^*$ – As host team
| Women's team | Apps | Record streak | Active streak | Debut | Most recent | Best finish | Confederation |
| Australia | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2000$^*$ | 2016 | Champions | Oceania – OSA |

### Best finishes

Last updated: 5 May 2021.

#### Legend

* Year$^*$ – As host team
| Women's team | Best finish | Apps | Confederation |
| Australia | Champions (2000$^*$) | 5 | Oceania – OSA |

### Finishes in the top four

Last updated: 5 May 2021.

#### Legend

* Year$^*$ – As host team
| Women's team | Total | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | First | Last |
| Australia | 4 | 1 (2000$^*$) | | 2 (2008, 2012) | 1 (2004) | 2000 | 2012 |

### Medal table

Last updated: 16 October 2024.
| Women's team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Australia (AUS) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |

## Player statistics
### Multiple appearances

The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic appearances (in descending order), year of the last Olympic appearance (in ascending order), year of the first Olympic appearance (in ascending order), date of birth (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively.
* Number of four-time Olympians: 0
* Number of three-time Olympians: 4
* Last updated: 26 July 2021.

#### Legend

* – Hosts
Female athletes who competed in water polo at three or more Olympics :
| Apps | Player | Birth | Pos | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| Apps | Player | Birth | Pos | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| 3 | Melissa Rippon | 1981 | FP | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | | | 23/31 | | | |
| 3 | Kate Gynther | 1982 | FP | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | | | 22/30 | | | |
| 3 | Bronwen Knox | 1986 | FP | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | | | 22/30 | | | |
| 3 | Gemma Beadsworth | 1987 | FP | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | | | 21/29 | | | |

### Multiple medalists

The following table is pre-sorted by total number of Olympic medals (in descending order), number of Olympic gold medals (in descending order), number of Olympic silver medals (in descending order), year of receiving the last Olympic medal (in ascending order), year of receiving the first Olympic medal (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively.
* Number of three-time Olympic medalists: 0
* Number of two-time Olympic medalists: 5
* Last updated: 11 August 2021.

#### Legend

* – Hosts
Female athletes who won two or more Olympic medals in water polo :
| Rk | Player | Birth | Height | Pos | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Water polo tournaments | Period (age of first/last) | Medals | Medals | Medals | Medals | Ref |
| Rk | Player | Birth | Height | Pos | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Period (age of first/last) | G | S | B | T | Ref |
| 1 | Gemma Beadsworth | 1987 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | FP | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | | | 8 years (21/29) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1 | Kate Gynther | 1982 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | FP | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | | | 8 years (22/30) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1 | Bronwen Knox | 1986 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | FP | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | | 13 years (22/35) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1 | Alicia McCormack | 1983 | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | GK | 2008 | 2012 | | | | 4 years (25/29) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1 | Melissa Rippon | 1981 | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | FP | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | | | 8 years (23/31) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |

### Top goalscorers

The following table is pre-sorted by number of total goals (in descending order), year of the last Olympic appearance (in ascending order), year of the first Olympic appearance (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively.
* Number of goalscorers (40+ goals): 0
* Number of goalscorers (30–39 goals): 1
* Number of goalscorers (20–29 goals): 4
* Last updated: 1 April 2021.

#### Legend

* – Hosts
Female players with 20 or more goals at the Olympics :
| Rk | Player | Birth | L/R | Total goals | Water polo tournaments (goals) | Water polo tournaments (goals) | Water polo tournaments (goals) | Water polo tournaments (goals) | Water polo tournaments (goals) | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| Rk | Player | Birth | L/R | Total goals | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| 1 | Kate Gynther | 1982 | Right | 30 | 2004 (7) | 2008 (13) | 2012 (10) | | | 22/30 | | | |
| 2 | Ashleigh Southern | 1992 | Right | 26 | 2012 (12) | 2016 (14) | | | | 19/23 | | | |
| 3 | Rowena Webster | 1987 | Right | 23 | 2012 (12) | 2016 (11) | | | | 24/28 | | | |
| 4 | Gemma Beadsworth | 1987 | Right | 20 | 2008 (9) | 2012 (10) | 2016 (1) | | | 21/29 | | | |
| 4 | Bronwen Knox | 1986 | Right | 20 | 2008 (12) | 2012 (4) | 2016 (4) | | | 22/30 | | | |
Source:
* Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (p. 96), 2004 (pp. 56–57), 2008 (pp. 56–57), 2012 (pp. 347–348), 2016 (pp. 197–198).

### Goalkeepers

The following table is pre-sorted by edition of the Olympics (in ascending order), cap number or name of the goalkeeper (in ascending order), respectively.
Last updated: 1 April 2021.

#### Legend and abbreviation

* – Hosts
* Eff % – Save efficiency (Saves / Shots)
| Year | Cap No. | Goalkeeper | Birth | Age | Saves | Shots | Eff % | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| 2000 | 1 | Liz Weekes | 1971 | 29 | 21 | 46 | 45.7% | | Starting goalkeeper | |
| 2000 | 7 | Danielle Woodhouse | 1969 | 31 | 11 | 15 | 73.3% | | | |
| 2004 | 1 | Emma Knox | 1978 | 26 | 12 | 26 | 42.9% | | | |
| 2004 | 11 | Jemma Brownlow | 1979 | 24 | 19 | 31 | 61.3% | | | |
| 2008 | 1 | Emma Knox (2) | 1978 | 30 | 16 | 42 | 38.1% | | | |
| 2008 | 13 | Alicia McCormack | 1983 | 25 | 32 | 59 | 54.2% | | | |
| 2012 | 1 | Victoria Brown | 1985 | 27 | 4 | 8 | 50.0% | | | |
| 2012 | 13 | Alicia McCormack (2) | 1983 | 29 | 40 | 93 | 43.0% | | Starting goalkeeper | |
| 2016 | 1 | Lea Yanitsas | 1989 | 27 | 27 | 46 | 58.7% | | | |
| 2016 | 13 | Kelsey Wakefield | 1991 | 25 | 18 | 38 | 47.4% | | | |
| Year | Cap No. | Goalkeeper | Birth | Age | Saves | Shots | Eff % | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
Source:
* Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (p. 96), 2004 (pp. 56–57), 2008 (pp. 56–57), 2012 (pp. 347–348), 2016 (pp. 197–198).

### Top sprinters

The following table is pre-sorted by number of total sprints won (in descending order), year of the last Olympic appearance (in ascending order), year of the first Olympic appearance (in ascending order), name of the sprinter (in ascending order), respectively.
* Number of sprinters (30+ sprints won): 1
* Number of sprinters (20–29 sprints won): 0
* Number of sprinters (10–19 sprints won): 1
* Number of sprinters (5–9 sprints won): 2
* Last updated: 15 May 2021.

#### Legend and abbreviation

* – Hosts
* Eff % – Efficiency (Sprints won / Sprints contested)
Female players with 5 or more sprints won at the Olympics :
| Rk | Sprinter | Birth | Total sprints won | Total sprints contested | Eff % | Water polo tournaments (sprints won / contested) | Water polo tournaments (sprints won / contested) | Water polo tournaments (sprints won / contested) | Water polo tournaments (sprints won / contested) | Water polo tournaments (sprints won / contested) | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| Rk | Sprinter | Birth | Total sprints won | Total sprints contested | Eff % | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Age of first/last | ISHOF member | Note | Ref |
| 1 | Kate Gynther | 1982 | 39 | 58 | 67.2% | 2004 (5/8) | 2008 (13/26) | 2012 (21/24) | | | 22/30 | | | |
| 2 | Melissa Mills | 1973 | 14 | 15 | 93.3% | 2000 (14/15) | | | | | 26/26 | | | |
| 3 | Nicola Zagame | 1990 | 8 | 10 | 80.0% | 2012 (4/4) | 2016 (4/6) | | | | 22/25 | | | |
| 4 | Bronwyn Mayer | 1974 | 6 | 11 | 54.5% | 2000 (6/8) | 2004 (0/3) | | | | 26/30 | | | |
Source:
* Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (p. 96), 2004 (pp. 56–57), 2008 (pp. 56–57), 2012 (pp. 347–348), 2016 (pp. 197–198).

## Coach statistics
### Most successful coaches

The following table is pre-sorted by total number of Olympic medals (in descending order), number of Olympic gold medals (in descending order), number of Olympic silver medals (in descending order), year of winning the last Olympic medal (in ascending order), year of winning the first Olympic medal (in ascending order), name of the coach (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 5 May 2021.
Greg McFadden led Australia women's national team to win two consecutive Olympic bronze medals in 2008 and 2012.

#### Legend

* – Hosts
Head coaches who led women's national teams to win two or more Olympic medals :
| Rk | Head coach | Nationality | Birth | Age | Women's team | Tournaments (finish) | Tournaments (finish) | Tournaments (finish) | Period | Medals | Medals | Medals | Medals | Ref |
| Rk | Head coach | Nationality | Birth | Age | Women's team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Period | G | S | B | T | Ref |
| 1 | Greg McFadden | Australia | 1964 | 43–51 | Australia | 2008 (3rd) | 2012 (3rd) | 2016 (6th) | 8 years | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | [23] [22] |

### Medals as coach and player

The following table is pre-sorted by total number of Olympic medals (in descending order), number of Olympic gold medals (in descending order), number of Olympic silver medals (in descending order), year of winning the last Olympic medal (in ascending order), year of winning the first Olympic medal (in ascending order), name of the person (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 5 May 2021.
With the Hungary men's national water polo team, István Görgényi won a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. He was appointed head coach of the Australia women's national team in 1998. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he led the team to win the inaugural women's water polo gold medal.

#### Legend

* Year$^*$ – As host team
| Rk | Person | Birth | Height | Player | Player | Player | Player | Head coach | Head coach | Head coach | Total medals | Total medals | Total medals | Total medals | Ref |
| Rk | Person | Birth | Height | Age | Men's team | Pos | Medal | Age | Women's team | Medal | G | S | B | T | Ref |
| 1 | István Görgényi | 1946 | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | 25 | Hungary | FP | 1972 | 53 | Australia | 2000$^*$ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | [24] [25] |

## Olympic champions
### 2000 Summer Olympics

* Edition of women's tournament: 1st
* Host city: Sydney, Australia
* Number of participating teams: 6
* Competition format: Round-robin pools advanced teams to classification matches
* Champion: Australia (1st title; 1st place in preliminary A group)
| Match | Round | Date | Cap color | Opponent | Result | Goals for | Goals against | Goals diff. |
| Match 1/7 | Preliminary round – Group A | 16 September 2000 | Blue | Kazakhstan | Won | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Match 2/7 | Preliminary round – Group A | 17 September 2000 | White | Russia | Won | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Match 3/7 | Preliminary round – Group A | 18 September 2000 | Blue | Netherlands | Lost | 4 | 5 | -1 |
| Match 4/7 | Preliminary round – Group A | 19 September 2000 | Blue | United States | Won | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Match 5/7 | Preliminary round – Group A | 20 September 2000 | Blue | Canada | Won | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Match 6/7 | Semi-finals | 22 September 2000 | White | Russia | Won | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Match 7/7 | Gold medal match | 23 September 2000 | White | United States | Won | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | Matches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7% | Matches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7% | Matches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7% | Matches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7% | Matches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7% | 46 | 29 | 17 |
Source: Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (pp. 103, 106, 108, 111, 115, 119, 121).
* Head coach: István Görgényi (1st title as head coach)
Roster :
| Cap No. | Player | Pos | L/R | Height | Weight | Date of birth | Age of winning gold | Oly debut | ISHOF member |
| 1 | Liz Weekes | GK | R | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 68 kg (150 lb) | 22 September 1971 | 29 years, 1 day | Yes | |
| 2 | Yvette Higgins | FP | R | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 73 kg (161 lb) | 5 January 1978 | 22 years, 262 days | Yes | |
| 3 | Gail Miller | FP | R | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 65 kg (143 lb) | 30 November 1976 | 23 years, 298 days | Yes | |
| 4 | Naomi Castle | FP | R | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 72 kg (159 lb) | 29 May 1974 | 26 years, 117 days | Yes | |
| 5 | Bronwyn Mayer | FP | R | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | 65 kg (143 lb) | 3 July 1974 | 26 years, 82 days | Yes | |
| 6 | Simone Hankin | FP | R | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 80 kg (176 lb) | 28 February 1973 | 27 years, 208 days | Yes | |
| 7 | Danielle Woodhouse | GK | R | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 68 kg (150 lb) | 23 January 1969 | 31 years, 244 days | Yes | |
| 8 | Kate Hooper | FP | R | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | 73 kg (161 lb) | 26 February 1978 | 22 years, 210 days | Yes | |
| 9 | Debbie Watson | FP | R | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 71 kg (157 lb) | 28 September 1965 | 34 years, 361 days | Yes | 2008 |
| 10 | Taryn Woods | FP | R | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 76 kg (168 lb) | 12 August 1975 | 25 years, 42 days | Yes | |
| 11 | Bridgette Gusterson | FP | R | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 74 kg (163 lb) | 7 February 1973 | 27 years, 229 days | Yes | 2017 |
| 12 | Joanne Fox | FP | L | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 72 kg (159 lb) | 12 June 1979 | 21 years, 103 days | Yes | |
| 13 | Melissa Mills | FP | R | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 67 kg (148 lb) | 26 December 1973 | 26 years, 272 days | Yes | |
| Average | Average | Average | Average | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 71 kg (157 lb) | 21 February 1974 | 26 years, 215 days | | |
| Coach | István Görgényi | István Görgényi | István Görgényi | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | | 2 November 1946 | 53 years, 326 days | | |
Note: Bridgette Gusterson and Danielle Woodhouse are sisters; Bronwyn Mayer and Taryn Woods are cousins. Sources:
* Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (p. 96);
* Olympedia: 2000 (women's tournament);
* ISHOF.

#### Abbreviation

* MP – Matches played
* G – Goals
* Sh – Shots
* AS – Assists
* TF – Turnover fouls
* ST – Steals
* BL – Blocked shots
* SP – Sprints
* 20S – 20 seconds exclusion
* Pen – Penalty
* EX – Exclusion
Statistics :
| Cap No. | Player | Pos | MP | Goals/Shots | Goals/Shots | Goals/Shots | AS | TF | ST | BL | Sprints | Sprints | Sprints | Personal fouls | Personal fouls | Personal fouls |
| Cap No. | Player | Pos | MP | G | Sh | % | AS | TF | ST | BL | Won | SP | % | 20S | Pen | EX |
| 1 | Liz Weekes | GK | 7 | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Yvette Higgins | FP | 7 | 8 | 18 | 44.4% | 3 | 5 | 2 | | | | | 2 | | |
| 3 | Gail Miller | FP | 7 | 2 | 4 | 50.0% | | 3 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 80.0% | 3 | | |
| 4 | Naomi Castle | FP | 7 | 3 | 22 | 13.6% | 6 | 2 | 15 | 3 | | | | 8 | | |
| 5 | Bronwyn Mayer | FP | 7 | 6 | 11 | 54.5% | 3 | 3 | 9 | | 6 | 8 | 75.0% | 3 | | |
| 6 | Simone Hankin | FP | 7 | 4 | 18 | 22.2% | 3 | 8 | 6 | | | | | 7 | | |
| 7 | Danielle Woodhouse | GK | 7 | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Kate Hooper | FP | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Debbie Watson | FP | 7 | 3 | 10 | 30.0% | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | | | | 4 | | |
| 10 | Taryn Woods | FP | 7 | 3 | 22 | 13.6% | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | | | 10 | | |
| 11 | Bridgette Gusterson | FP | 7 | 11 | 30 | 36.7% | 6 | 4 | 3 | | | | | 3 | | |
| 12 | Joanne Fox | FP | 7 | 2 | 10 | 20.0% | 2 | | 9 | 2 | | | | 9 | | |
| 13 | Melissa Mills | FP | 7 | 4 | 16 | 25.0% | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 93.3% | 3 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 7 | 46 | 161 | 28.6% | 30 | 29 | 72 | 12 | 24 | 28 | 85.7% | 52 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | Against | Against | Against | 29 | 116 | 25.0% | 12 | 43 | 50 | 10 | 4 | 28 | 14.3% | 51 | 5 | 0 |
| Cap No. | Player | Pos | Saves/Shots | Saves/Shots | Saves/Shots |
| Cap No. | Player | Pos | Saves | Shots | % |
| 1 | Liz Weekes | GK | 21 | 46 | 45.7% |
| 7 | Danielle Woodhouse | GK | 11 | 15 | 73.3% |
| Total | Total | Total | 32 | 61 | 52.5% |
Source: Official Results Books (PDF): 2000 (p. 96).