WATER POLO: All Aussies kids dream of representing their country at the Olympics and a young Nicola Zagame knew her route to the Games was going to be in the pool.

Originally the Sydney-sider thought she may have been lining up on the blocks, putting on her googles and swimming her way to victory.

“I always dreamed of going to the Olympics, but I didn’t really know how I’d get there,” she said.

“I remember thinking when I was little that I might be able to get there through swimming.”

But it wasn’t to be.

In Year 6, Zagame joined a friend’s water polo team and hasn’t looked back, picking a ball and teammates over the solitary black line.

Selection in her first Australian junior water polo squad in 2006 was the turning point Zagame’s sporting career, and the first time the Olympics became a real possibility.

“I thought to myself if I try really hard I might be able to make it to the Games.”

The hard work did eventually pay off when Zagame was selected in the Olympic Team for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Having won a bronze medal at London, the 25-year-old is now focused on representing Australia at her second Games.

Her reflection of the 2012 Games was that of an incredible, crazy and surreal experience.

“Living in the village for two weeks and being surrounded by athletes from all over the world is unbelievable.

“Playing a sport I love, with a team who I grew close to, in front of the world with my family and friends cheering loudly in the stands was certainly the best experience of my life,” she said.

Coming home from the Games with a medal around her neck, as well as being named in the team of the tournament was a career highlight for the centre back, closely following by winning a World Championship silver in 2013. 

But her second Olympic appearance will be about one thing.

“If I am selected for Rio, I will be absolutely over the moon and extremely proud to represent Australia once again.

“However, it is not the selection I am focused on at all. Each and every one of us want to go to Rio to win gold.

“I think that selection day will ignite that desire for gold even more and will just prop us all up to keep giving 100% each day.”

After a disappointing fourth place finish at the World Championships in Russia last August, the ‘Stingers’ have been overseas focusing on facing the best of the best before crunch time in Rio.

The Rio Olympic Test Event provided both a confidence boost as the Aussies defeated the World number 1 USA side in a penalty shoot-out as well as a snapshot of the Olympic city.

“To see how much hype was going on throughout the city already was so exciting.

“Rio will not even be able to compare to London... I have no doubt that it will be a crazy and incredible Olympics.”

Zagame said the squad is focusing on physical skills, fitness and strength in their Rio preparation.

“We will start laying down some tactics for the upcoming tournaments and studying other teams and their strengths/weaknesses.

“We are also highly focused on out of the water mental preparation like psychology, enhancing team dynamics and getting the most out of each other at every session.”

When she’s not playing or training, Zagame likes to get away to the beach, read and drink good coffee and spends a lot of her down time drawing and painting.

“I love art, and get out my pencils and paints often!

“I find that this relaxes me and it’s a good way to give my body a break.”

Next month the Australian women’s water polo team head back to USA and then China for the World League Finals - the last tournament before the final Olympic team in selected in June.

Ashleigh Knight
olympics.com.au