When Aussie Stinger Hayley Ballesty’s extended family gather at a family function, an outsider could easily think they’re attending a Sportsman’s Lunch.

Besides Ballesty, who made her Australia debut in 2022, and who has played professionally in Italy and Spain, her great-uncle John Ballesty represented the Wallabies in nine Tests from 1968-69 before switching to rugby league where he starred with the (now Sydney) Roosters outfit that lost the 1972 grand final to Manly. 

Her mother’s cousin is Australia’s first Winter Olympic gold medallist – and perhaps sport’s most recognisable ‘last man standing’ underdog, Stephen Bradbury. While much has been said about Bradbury’s 2002 gold, when the speedskater almost nonchalantly crossed the finish line after the 1000m field was taken out in a collision, he also has a 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games bronze for the 5000m relay. 

The 25-year-old said her famous relatives have not only inspired her to be the best she can, but they’ve also provided a source of constant encouragement.

“John is my dad’s uncle and it’s because of him my entire family are Roosters supporters even though we live in Manly Sea Eagles territory,” said Ballesty with a grin. “He’s a bit of an inspiration, having had an amazing rugby union career with the Wallabies and then his time in league.

“My family is very close and it means a lot to me that he follows my sporting career closely.

“I also see mum’s cousin, Stephen Bradbury, at big family events and I appreciate he tries to keep in touch with my water polo career and monitors how I’m travelling. What I’ve taken from his gold medal is this: when opportunity comes you have to be ready to take it – and he definitely was.”

As for her own place in Australian sport, Ballesty has no problem articulating what it means to be a member of the Aussie Stingers.

“The biggest takeaway is the kind of person a Stinger is,” she said. “I have really put in the work to try to be the best version of myself, and to also be a role model to the younger girls who are coming through.

“I do that because I remember how important those role models were for me. I would love to do my bit to help continue that legacy for the next generation.”

And while Ballesty’s bloodlines suggest she was born to excel in elite sport, she’s needed to draw upon a reservoir of resilience to overcome some brutal setbacks which include a shoulder injury that caused her to miss out on last year’s Olympic silver medal campaign.

HAYLEY BALLESTY IS NSWIS PROUD

“What I like about being an NSWIS scholarship holder is the incredible support system I have at NSWIS. I can be the best version of myself in the pool because NSWIS cares about the whole picture, not just the athlete. I also don’t believe I would have recovered from any of my major injuries without NSWIS.”

“When I was 19 and transitioning from junior to senior water polo, I had a hip injury and was out of the water for 18 months – which was really difficult,” she said. “Then, unfortunately, I dislocated my shoulder during a game in 2023 and it needed reconstruction surgery.

“It probably took me over a year to get back to where I was prior to that injury. In total, I was out of the water for nine months. It was tough, but when I had my hip injury our then NSWIS coach, Mel Rippon, told me: ‘you know, injuries like this make or break athletes – and I think its going to make you.’

“And I held onto that thought [four years later when I injured my shoulder]. I just thought ‘this isn’t going to break me.’  And while I missed so much, doing the rehab and working so hard to return showed me I didn’t want to stop . . .  I still had so much to give.”

When asked how she felt watching her teammates – her friends – slug it out against Spain in the Paris Olympics’ gold medal decider, she simply says: ‘mixed feelings’.   

“It was extremely difficult,” she said of watching from her couch as Australia took silver. “It was really weird because those are, like, some of my closest friends, and I was so happy for them because they did so extremely well.

“And I had so much pride when I was watching the Games. I just knew how much everyone had poured into that performance, and I wanted them to win. Like them, I poured a lot of myself into trying to get to Paris. And while I was happy, it was bitter-sweet because as an athlete you want to be at those big events.”

Ballesty has been selected to compete in the World Aquatics Championships which start in Singapore on July 11. The squad consists of 10 players from the Paris squad, while the selections of NSWIS duo Olivia Mitchell and Alexie Lambert, along with Western Australia’s Pippa Pedley signal the next generation’s emergence.

Hayley Ballesty in action against Hungary during her first World Aquatics Championship campaign where 8000 Hungarians cheered on their team creating an incredible atmosphere.

This is her second world championships campaign, and Ballesty’s advice to the Stinger’s newcomers is to be prepared for the emotions that come with a huge event.

“I was quite young, 20-21, at my first world championships in Hungary. While I wouldn’t say I was naïve, I was unaware of how big it was,” she said. “Our quarter final was played against Hungary in Budapest and there was 8000 Hungarians cheering their team on.

“When they started singing the Hungarian national anthem, that’s when it hit me. I thought: ‘like, this is a really big deal.’ It was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever witnessed.

“So, I think my selection for Singapore carries more significance for me because I know what it actually is and how big a deal it is.”

Though, Ballesty, the latest member of her family’s sporting dynasty, has worked like few others to be there.

HAYLEY BALLESTY FAST FACTS

  • Ballesty is studying her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at the University of NSW.
  • The degree appealed to her because it provides an opportunity to combine Ballesty’s passion for science, art and the environment.
  • When she graduates Ballesty would like to work in environmental rehabilitation because she believes there’ll be an increased need for it due to rapid way cities are growing and impacting the environment and ecosystem.
  • She says one of the best aspects of playing professionally in Spain and Italy is having friends all over the world.
  • While her teammates say she speaks fluent Italian, Ballesty insists she understands the language better than she speaks it: “Yeah, I know when the coach isn’t happy with me [laughs].”
  • The team she played for, Rapallo, is situated on the Italian Riviera (Mediterranean Sea) and Ballesty loves the lifestyle.

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