Paris Olympic Games Moreton Bay coverage - August 11

Published 1:10am 11 August 2024

Alice Williams and Charlize Andrews this morning added Olympic silver medals to the honours board at North Brisbane Polo Bears in Albany Creek.

Williams and Andrews, who both played for Polo Bears, were in the Australian team which went down 11-9 to world number one Spain in the gold medal match.

It was another brave performance by the Stingers, who reached the final unbeaten, including with three victories in penalty shootouts.

They scored first, through Williams, but fell behind and only once managed to draw level as Spain’s flare, firepower and options proved decisive.

“Australia will be a little disappointed but have played above themselves (in Paris),” Channel Nine commentator John Harker said.

“This team has big things ahead. This is a young group that is going to write another chapter in the history of the Stingers.”

Andrews, a graduate from St Paul’s School at Bald Hills, impressed, as did Williams with five goals from 12 shots to finish the Games as Australia’s top scorer on 21.

Both players said the Olympics were their sporting dream. Williams even went to Paris saying she wanted to come back with a medal.

Their silver medals will be join the gold by current Polo Bears coach Naomi McCarthy at Sydney 2000 and bronze medals by Bronwen Knox at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 on the honours board Albany Creek Leisure Centre.

Andrews, 22, joined Polo Bears 13 years ago and rose through the ranks to star for the club’s Water Polo Queensland Premier League-winning women’s team.

She won Australian junior and youth caps before her senior Stingers debut at the 2022 FINA World League Intercontinental Cup in Peru.

Charlize Andrews is officially welcomed onto the Paris team. Picture Gregg Porteous Water Polo Australia

Last year Andrews helped Australia to fourth at the World Aquatic Championships in Japan and earlier this year to sixth at the world titles in Doha.

Williams, 25, is studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at QUT but deferred for 2024 to meet training and travel demands ahead of Paris.

She plays as a right-handed driver and was with Polo Bears from 2021-2023, also helping the senior women to the WPQ Premier League title.

However, last year starred for Italian club L’Ekipe Orizzonte Catania as it won the Italian professional league and was the competition’s second highest scorer with 45.