FROM: Elise Norwood
Australian women's water polo team
Hi kids!
My name is Elise Norwood and I will be competing in the Women's water polo at the Olympics in Athens. Water Polo is a pretty tough sport. It is played in a 30 metre long swimming pool (and no, you cant touch the bottom), and has a goal at each end. The aim is to score a goal by throwing the ball in the goal, but you can only use one hand to throw or catch the ball.
I swam from a very early age and also played netball. The two combine the skills needed for water polo pretty perfectly, so I started playing for Sydney University junior teams, and worked my way up from there.
Australia won the gold in the women's water polo in 2000, but there are now only 3 girls from that team still playing. The top 7 teams in the competition are very close so it's hard to tell what will happen. USA is going in as the favourite. Italy is the hardest team in our group (known as a "pool").
I'm very excited about the games being so close. I hope that you all enjoy watching them and cheer loudly from home so we can hear you in Athens!
Have fun!
Elise
