Arancini’s medal is much more than flashy French bling

Even though Australia’s women’s water polo team skipper Zoe Arancini has had her precious Olympic silver medal for 47 days, she still struggles to believe it’s . . . hers.

Arancini, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder, admitted it felt strange to look at the medal, let alone drape it over her neck at Olympic functions and Team Australia celebrations.

“I still can’t believe I have it,” said Arancini during a visit to NSWIS HQ, where she met NSW Premier the Hon. Chris Minns, MP during his tour of the facility.

“There’s still a sense of disbelief to open the box and to think ‘we’ve got one.’ And being able to show it to people is quite special. I remember the first Olympic medal I saw: a bronze from the 2008 Aussie Stingers team. But, to have your own . . . and to have that experience [of earning it] and being able to show it to people means a lot.”

Whenever someone looks at Arancini’s medal – and hundreds have since she returned home – they’re examining an impressive work of art.

Designed by the renowned French luxury jewellery and watch house, Chaumet, Arancini’s treasure – it was one of 5804 medals minted for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – and has a 92.5 percent purity rating.

It also contains 18 grams of iron from the Eiffel Tower, while the sunburst featured on the front of the medal represents both the pride France had in hosting the Games, and the enormity of a recipient realising a ‘shining’ sporting achievement.

The Greek goddess of victory, Nike, dominates the back of the medal, standing alongside the Pantheon, the Olympic Rings, and the Eiffel Tower (added especially for the Paris Games). The woven ribbon is a tapestry of French flair and style.

However, whenever the Aussie Stingers skipper looks at the trophy [as she is in the photo above with teammate Genevive Longman], she sees more than an intricate piece of jewellery. It’s a reminder of the effort of the young Australian team to go through the tournament undefeated until their gold medal match against Spain; the team holding its nerve to overcome the pressure of three penalty shootouts, and defeating the reigning Olympic and world champions, the USA.

“It represents so many things, particularly the hard work and the dedication of not just the athletes – they do so much – but also the people who’ve supported us,” she said. “It’s also a result of the hard work the [sporting] institutes have done, as well as the support staff and the administration backing us. It’s also for every supporter back home, they were so important to all of this [pointing at the medal].

“But it represents all the hours of training the players do; the hours of mental preparation; the nutritional requirements, and the many one-percenters we put together.

“Something we worked hard on during the last six months leading into the Olympics was the ‘culture piece.’ Our coach, Bec Rippon – she’s the former NSWIS Head Coach – re-enforced that we really needed to focus on the moment. That was an area in the past where we haven’t been strong [because we’d] let ourselves get ahead of ourselves.

“So, we really worked on that, and it came to fruition at the Games. So, the medal means a lot.”

Arancini was full of praise for Rippon, a member of the 2008 Beijing bronze medal winning Aussie team, for her impact on the team despite being handed the reins eight short months before the opening ceremony on the River Seine.

“Bec’s approach was so good, especially because we had a younger group compared to past cycles,” said Arancini. “Having had different coaches at that level, I think Bec realised she played at her best when she stayed calm and was relaxed. I think that’s the approach she’s taken into coaching, and it had a very calming influence on the girls.”

Arancini, who boasts 319 international caps, has competed at three Olympics and won world championships medals, said she realises the importance of ‘authenticity’ and the importance of delegating responsibility.

“It’s easy to think you have to be something you’re not when you’re in a leadership role, but being authentic to yourself is crucial,” she said.

“I lead by example, but there are certain things I delegate to other people. There are two other players in the leadership group, Bronte Halligan and Gabby Palm, and it’s great they’re more than happy to step up.

“Having the respect of the athletes and their support really helps. But being a leader also means it’s important to check in, to ensure everything is OK; that the team is tight, and it’s also about helping get the best out of everyone.

“Team sports are interesting because while everyone has a common goal, [the individuals are] all very different. Not just in terms of their personalities, but skillsets, physical attributes, weaknesses, and strengths.”

While the three heart-stopping penalty shoot outs will be what most people recall about the Stingers Olympic campaign, Arancini nominated an unexpected challenge as the toughest one she dealt with.

“That was our first game against China, because it was the first game of the Olympics,” she revealed. “The nerves are high because you’re finally there . . . you’ve been waiting and waiting for the game.

“We have a history in big tournaments where China has pushed us all the way, and we have a very young team coming through. Added to that, Keesja Gofers and I were the only players with ‘crowd experience.’

“The girls who played at Tokyo didn’t have it [due to COVID restricting crowds] so that first game in Paris was a shock – a pleasant shock – because there was a huge crowd that made so much noise. That first game was hard and even though we had the penalties we got through it. We finished the game knowing what we’re expecting.

“But we realised we just needed to focus.”  

Daniel Lane, NSWIS