Melissa Mills

1973 -

Melissa Mills won a gold medal for Australia in women’s water polo at Sydney 2000. From Queensland, the left-handed driver enjoyed a fine Olympic tournament, scoring four goals. This included the first goal for Australia in its unforgettable gold medal final against the United States. The arch-rivals enjoyed a classic struggle, with the game only decided in the dying moments. With the scores tied 3-3 with 1.3 seconds to play, Yvette Higgins scored the deciding goal to sending the 17,000-strong crowd and the nation into a frenzy. It was the first time women’s water polo had been played at the Olympics.