Australian water polo player Zoe Arancini believes Australia can win gold at next year’s Rio Olympic Games, and she is determined to be a part of the Stingers side that attempts it.
At 24, Arancini represents an experienced but youthful part of a Stingers squad that is aiming to take Australia to its first Olympic success since the Sydney Games in 2000.
She was named in the FINA World All Stars team after an impressive campaign at the recent World Championships in Kazan, Russia where Australia finished fourth, after a surprise defeat to Italy (12-10 on penalties) in the bronze medal match.
Despite the result, Arancini has returned to Perth buoyed by her personal form and confident that Australia can match it with the world’s best in a year’s time. She did admit however, that the All Star accolade had come as a surprise.
“I was completely shocked,” the Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete said. “I was really surprised. I still wake up some days and can’t believe it.”
“A year out, I think we’re in good form. Physically we’re faster, we’re stronger, it’s just tactically we need to improve and mentally we need to work on some things,” she said.
The Stingers missed out on a shot at gold at this year’s World Championships after losing to rivals USA in their semi-final, the same country they defeated for gold 15 years ago in Sydney. Since then, the Americans have held the upper hand, eliminating the Australians at both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, before winning this year’s world title and justifying themselves as the team to beat in Rio.
Not that Arancini is worried.
“I think we’re a huge shot at making gold, it’s all about who shows up on the day and how well we play it.”
Arancini’s confidence comes from having represented Australia at Junior World Championship level, twice at senior level and as the daughter of two Australian international water polo players, with her father Peter, having represented the Australian Sharks, whilst her mother Wendy Meloncelli, won gold at both World Cup and World Championship level for the Stingers.
With over a hundred international caps to her name despite having yet turned 25, Arancini – who also holds qualifications in Laboratory Medicine from Curtin University – is aiming at a maiden Olympic campaign, and she plans to use her 2015 Worlds form as the catalyst for bigger things.
“The performance at World Champs was definitely a big boost and obviously making the World 7 (FINA All Stars) was a big achievement. I’ve definitely taken a lot of confidence from it heading into Rio. It’s a great opportunity and my chances are looking good,” she said.
Before dreams of Brazil can be realised, the 2013 World Championship silver medallist must remain in coach Greg McFadden’s plans.
The Stingers squad is set for a busy 12 months, with a host of competitions and training camps scheduled that will see Arancini and her fellow WAIS national team members Glencora McGhie and Gemma Beadsworth travel to Italy for camp in November, before a Rio Test event, a tour of the US, domestic duties with the Fremantle Marlins and a World League Finals campaign all spaced between residential training camps at Canberra’s AIS, with the Stingers’ Rio 2016 squad set to be formally announced in June.
