Rowena Webster

Last updated

Rowena Webster
Rowena Webster.jpg
Webster in 2012
Personal information
Full nameRowena Evelyn Webster
NicknameRowie
NationalityAustralian
Born (1987-12-27) 27 December 1987 (age 36)
Melbourne, Victoria
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportWater polo
EventWomen's team
College team Arizona State University
ClubRichmond Tigers
TeamBalmain Tigers
Turned pro2008
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals London 2012, Rio 2016
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 London Team competition
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Barcelona Team competition
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2019 Gwangju Team competition
Canada Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2011 Canada CupTeam competition
FINA Junior World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2007 Porto, PortugalTeam competition
FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2010 World CupTeam competition
FINA World League Super Finals
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2010 La Jolla, USA Team competition
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2009 Kirishi, Russia Team competition

Rowena Evelyn Webster (born 27 December 1987), known as Rowie Webster, is an Australian water polo centre back and a three-time Olympian. She is one of three Australian players to play more than 300 international games for Australia. She has represented Australia as a member of Australia women's national water polo team on both the junior and senior level. Webster is a London Olympic bronze medalist, Junior World Champion, and was rated in the top 3 players in the world two years in a row (2013, 2014). Webster was the Australian Women's Water Polo Captain at the 2020 Olympics.

Contents

Personal life

Webster was born on 27 December 1987 in Melbourne, Victoria. [1] [2] [3] [4] Her grandfather was Warwick Wathen, who competed in the Davis Cup as a junior. Her mother is a physiotherapist, her father a builder. Webster is the youngest of four children and her oldest sister Larissa Webster also played water polo for Australia. [5]

Webster is 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) tall, weighs 81 kilograms (179 lb) and is right handed. [1] [5] She has five tattoos and loves how she can express herself through body image and art.[ citation needed ]

Webster attended Korowa Anglican Girls' School and used to play Australian rules football as a youngster. She has always been extremely competitive in basketball and surf life saving, and iub 2012 was the vice-captain of the National women's water polo team. [5] [6] She took up surf lifesaving as a seven-year-old at the Anglesea Surf life saving club. [7] She studied for her Victorian Certificate of Education in 2005. [6] She spent a year studying at Arizona State University on scholarship where she studied physical education secondary teaching and completed her degree in Melbourne at Deakin University. [7] She is currently on scholarship at the Victorian Institute of Sport.[ needs update ] She completed a Bachelor of physical education in secondary teaching, and is living in Balwyn North, Victoria. [1] [5]

Her Stingers teammates say she is a fierce competitor and loves to win. She has a huge Nike shoe collection and adds to it on every international tour. She is openly lesbian. [8]

Water polo

The third of a five-game test series against the Great Britain women's national water polo team on 25 February 2012. Australia won 15-6. On the far left is Bronwen Knox, then Zoe Arancini, Melissa Rippon, Hannah Buckling, Rowena Webster. Test 3 Aus v GB at AIS 0016.JPG
The third of a five-game test series against the Great Britain women's national water polo team on 25 February 2012. Australia won 15–6. On the far left is Bronwen Knox, then Zoe Arancini, Melissa Rippon, Hannah Buckling, Rowena Webster.

Webster started playing water polo as a ten-year-old, [7] and more seriously as a twelve-year-old in Melbourne, Australia [1] acting as a fill-in for her older sister's team at that age. [9] In 2010 and 2011, she had a water polo scholarship from the Victorian Institute of Sport. [1] [10] [11] [12] She prefers to wear cap number seven and is a utility player [1] who can be found in the centre back position. [5] She has scars on her back from opposition players biting her there during games. [5] She feels a need to wear a mouth guard during every game she plays. [1] Her water polo club is the Richmond Tigers. [1] In 2003, she played for the club at State League Level 1, the highest ability league open to players of all ages. [7] She first represented the state of Victoria in 2000. [7] In 2003, she was Victorian team captain. [7] In 2003, she woke up at "4.40 am twice a week for training and swimming three afternoons a week". [7] In 2005, she was putting in "three gym sessions, three swimming drills, [and] six rounds of water polo practice" a week. [6] That year, she represented the state of Victoria at the Australian Water Polo Championships. [6] She also represented the state in 2005 at the National Schoolgirls Water Polo Competition held Noosa, Queensland. [6]

Club water polo

Webster currently plays for the Balmain Togers National Team and captains the side. She played for the Victorian Tigers of the National Water Polo League in 2004 during the team's first year of existence. [9] [13] She also played for the team in 2005, [9] 2007, [13] 2009, [14] 2010, [15] 2011 [16] and 2012. [17]

University water polo

Webster attended Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona on a water polo scholarship when she was an eighteen-year-old but only spent a year with the team. [5] [9] [18]

Professional water polo

As a nineteen-year-old, Webster played for a professional team in Greece [5] for five months in 2008. While playing in Greece, she had to deal with a culture of water polo that tolerated biting of other players during games. She left Greece to concentrate on making Australia's national team for the Olympics. [18]

Senior national team

Webster is the captain and a member of the Australia women's national water polo team and has played over 300 games for Australia. [2] She was a member of the London Olympic Team that won bronze in 2012 and has been an integral part of the 2013 World Championships team that won silver and the 2014 World Cup team that also won silver. Webster was the highest goal scorer for Team Australia at the 2012 London Olympics. Webster holds the Australian record for most goals in a National League Season (99 goals).[ citation needed ] She has also played over 250 games in the league.[ citation needed ]

Webster was the captain of the Australian Stingrays squad that competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. By finishing second in their pool, the Aussie Stingers went through to the quarterfinals. They were beaten 8-9 by Russia and therefore did not compete for an Olympic medal. [19] [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Polo Australia</span>

Water Polo Australia (WPA) is the national governing body for Water Polo in Australia, headquartered in Sydney. WPA in its current form was formed in 1982, when it broke away from the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia (now Swimming Australia) to become the Australian Amateur Water Polo Association (AAWPA). Prior to that time, water polo was administered by a sub-committee of the ASUA. In January 1990 the AAWPA changed its name to 'Water Polo Australia Incorporated'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glencora Ralph</span> Australian water polo player

Glencora McGhie is an Australian water polo centre back/driver. She attended the Curtin University of Technology and is a dental therapist. She competes for the Fremantle Marlins in the National Water Polo League, and was on sides that won the league championship in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. She has been a member of the Australia women's national water polo team on the junior and senior level. She has won gold medals at the 2011 Canada Cup and at the 2007 FINA Junior World Championships. She won silver medals at the 2010 FINA World League Super Finals and at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup. She won a bronze medal at the 2009 FINA World League Super Finals. She was part of the Australian water polo team that won bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Lincoln-Smith</span> Australian water polo player

Holly Jane Young is an Australian former water polo player. Her sister is skeleton competitor Emma Lincoln-Smith. They are the first set of Australian siblings where one competed at the Summer Olympics and the other at the Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Buckling</span> Australian water polo centre back

Hannah Buckling is an Australian water polo centre back. As a representative of Australia on the junior and senior level, she had her first international cap during the 2008 Australian Junior Tour at the Pythia Cup. She was a member of the Australian side that finished third at the 2011 FINA Junior World Championships. As a member of the senior team, she competed at the 2011 Canada Cup and helped the team take home gold. She competed in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Moran</span> Australian water polo player

Jane Moran is an Australian water polo player. She won a gold medal at the 2011 Canada Cup and a silver medal at the 2010 FINA World Cup. She was part of the Australian junior national team that competed at the 2005 World Junior Championships held in Perth, Western Australia. She received her first call up to Australia's senior team in order to compete at the 2005 World Championships held in Canada, and also was invited to participate in a 2007 training camp for players who might be selected for the 2008 Summer Olympics, she was considered for that team, but did not make it. She was chosen to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and was a member of Australia's national team that won the bronze medal. At club level, she plays in the Australian National Water Polo League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isobel Bishop</span> Australian water polo player

Isobel Bishop is an Australian water polo player. She plays for the Adelaide Jets in the National Water Polo League. She is a member of the Australia women's national water polo team, and won a gold medal at the 2011 Canada Cup and another gold at the 2011 FINA Junior World Championships. She represented Australia at the 2016 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoe Arancini</span> Australian club water polo player

Zoe Arancini is an Australian water polo player who plays driver, counter-attacker, or outside shooter. She plays club water polo in the National Water Polo League for the Fremantle Marlins, where she has won the league championship in 2005, 2007 and 2008 and is coached by her mother. She has represented the country as a member of the Australia women's national water polo team on the junior and senior level, with over eighty appearances for national team between the two levels. She won a gold medal at the 2011 Canada Cup, silver medals at the 2010 FINA World League Super Finals and 2010 FINA World Cup, and bronze medals at the 2009 FINA World League Super Finals and 2011 FINA Junior World Championships. She represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelsey Wakefield</span> Australian water polo player

Kelsey Wakefield is an Australian water polo player. Wakefield has been a member of the Australia women's national water polo team at the junior starting in 2006 and senior level starting in 2009. She earned a silver medal at the 2010 FINA World League, a gold medal at the 2011 Canada Cup and a bronze medal at the 2011 FINA Junior World Championships. Wakefield won a championship as a member of the 2011 Brisbane Barracudas squad in the National Water Polo League. As part of the Aussie Stingers, Wakefield represented Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Rebecca Marie Rippon is an Australian former water polo player. She represented Australia as a member of the Australia women's national water polo team at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Rippon</span> Australian water polo player

Melissa Alison Rippon is an Australian former water polo player. She played for the Brisbane Barracudas who compete in the National Water Polo League. She represented Australia in water polo at the 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and at the 2012 Summer Olympics winning bronze medals at both of the latter two. She has earned a bronze medal at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashleigh Southern</span> Australian water polo player

Ashleigh Southern is an Australian water polo player. She is a centre forward or outside shooter who has represented Australia on the junior and senior national teams. She won a gold medal at the 2009 Youth Olympic Festival, a silver medal at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup, a bronze medal at the 2011 FINE World League and a bronze medal at the 2011 FINA Junior World Championships. She plays club water polo for the Brisbane Barracudas, where she won a league championship in 2010. In 2014–15 season, she played for the Greek powerhouse Olympiacos where she won the LEN Euroleague, scoring 4 goals in the 10–9 win of Olympiacos against Sabadell in the final of the competition. She represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Gynther</span> Australian water polo player

Kate Maree Gynther is an Australian former water polo player. She played for the Brisbane Barracudas in the National Water Polo League. She represented Australia as a member of the women's senior national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal at the 2008 and 2012 Games. She is a leading goalscorer in Olympic water polo history, with 30 goals. She was the joint top sprinter at the 2012 Olympics with 21 sprints won; and a leading sprinter in Olympic water polo history, with 39 sprints won. She has also won a bronze medal at the 2005 Super League Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronwen Knox</span> Australian water polo player

Bronwen Knox is an Australian water polo centre back/centre forward. She played for the National Water Polo League's Queensland Breakers before switching to the Victorian Tigers for the 2012 season. In 2013–14 season, she played for the Greek powerhouse Olympiacos in the European competitions, winning the LEN Trophy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola Zagame</span> Australian water polo player

Nicola Maree Zagame nicknamed Ziggy and Nicky, is an Australian water polo centre back/driver. She has represented her country as a member of Australia women's national water polo team on both the junior and senior levels, and was part of the silver winning team at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup. She represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemma Beadsworth</span> Australian water polo centre forward

Gemma Jane Beadsworth is an Australian water polo centre forward. She plays for the Fremantle Marlins in the National Water Polo League. She has represented Australia at three Olympic Games and won bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She has also won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championship, a gold medal at the 2006 World Cup and a silver medal at the 2010 World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Smith</span> Australian water polo player

Sophie Smith is an Australian water polo player. Her position of choice is centre back/drive. She has played for the Victorian Tigers and the Queensland Breakers in the National Water Polo League. She has represented Australia in water polo on the junior and senior level, winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2005 FINA Junior World Championships and at the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alicia McCormack</span> Australian water polo player

Alicia McCormack is an Australian water polo goalkeeper. Her playing career started at the age of fourteen with the Kirrawee High School water polo team, and today she plays for the Cronulla Water Polo Club in the National Water Polo League and is a member of the Australia women's national water polo team. Although she did not play water polo in 2010 due to injury, McCormack has won gold medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2006 FINA World Cup; a silver medal at the 2007 FINA World Championships; and bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, 2005 FINA World League Super Finals, 2008 FINA World League Super Finals and 2009 FINA World League Super Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Brown (water polo)</span> Australian water polo goalkeeper

Victoria Jayne Brown is an Australian water polo goalkeeper. She is currently a small business owner. She plays water polo for the Victorian Tigers of National Water Polo League. She has represented Australia as a member of the Australia women's national water polo team on both the junior and senior level. She was a member of the Australian side that won a bronze medal at the 2005 FINA World League Super Finals and the 2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup. She was part of the Australian team that won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She has earned several honours including being named the 2010 Australian Water Polo Female Player of the Year.

Lea Yanitsas is an Australian water polo player who plays the position of goalkeeper. She was part of the Australian team at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 World Aquatics Championships.

Amy Ridge is an Australian water polo player who is a member of the Australia women's national water polo team. She was part of the team at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, 2018 FINA World Cup, 2019 World Aquatics Championships, and 2019 FINA Women's Water Polo World League.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Australian Water Polo Inc.: Webster, Rowena". Sydney, Australia: Australian Water Polo. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Aussie Stingers finish Canada Cup undefeated after claiming gold over China : News Centre : Australian Sports Commission". Bruce, Australian Capital Territory: Australian Sport Commission. 20 December 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "London 2012 – Stingers announce 2012 senior squad". 9 September 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  4. ↑ <-train-squad-announced.htm "Final Aussie Stingers Olympic train on Squad Announced". International Business Times. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Johnston, Chris. "Feisty young gun isn't one for treading water – OLYMPIC DREAMS 2011". p. 7. 20110917000034681694. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sacrifices for success". Leader – Progress Press. Melbourne, Australia. 14 June 2005. p. 17. PPV_T-20050614-1-017-303828. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Adams, Chloe (21 October 2003). "Surging to major goals". Leader – Progress Press. Melbourne, Australia. p. 6. PPV_T-20031021-1-006-069713. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  8. ↑ "'You'd have to chop my leg off' by Rowie Webster". AthletesVoice. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Rolfe, Peter (1 February 2005). "Big sis the catalyst for career". Leader – Progress Press. Melbourne, Australia. p. 20. PPV_T-20050201-1-020-957212. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "Southern makes Stingers". Innisfail Advocate. Australia. 18 August 2010. p. 16.
  11. ↑ "Canberra Times: SCOREBOARD". The Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia: Financial Times Limited – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 15 May 2010. WCTS78802884. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "AAP News: Water Polo Team Australian Women". AAP News. Australia: Financial Times Limited – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 14 May 2010. WAAP78793873. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  13. 1 2 Australian Water Polo Inc. (2008). "Vic w". Sydney, Australia. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  14. ↑ Australian Water Polo Inc. (2009). "Victorian Tigers". Sydney, Australia. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  15. ↑ Australian Water Polo Inc. (2010). "Vic Tigers". Sydney, Australia. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  16. ↑ Australian Water Polo Inc. (2011). "Vic Tigers". Sydney, Australia. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  17. ↑ Australian Water Polo Inc. (2012). "2012 Victorian Tigers Women". Sydney, New South Wales. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  18. 1 2 Sharkie, Michael (14 December 2008). "YOUNG ACHIEVERS". The Sunday Age. Melbourne, Australia. p. 23. 20081214000030643200. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  20. ↑ Australia, Water Polo. "Aussie Stingers – Rowie Webster". waterpoloaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.