Pittwater Life July 2024 Issue

News
From Pittwater to Paris
Sienna’s Olympics boarding pass
Sienna Hearn of the Australian Stingers
water polo team is the latest in a long
line of Northern Beaches athletes to
grace an Olympic pool – and she’s taking
the whole family to watch.
“I’m taking a bit of a crew with me to
Paris,” laughs Sienna. “My parents, my
brother, my boyfriend and his mum, my
grandma…”
It’s a healthy cheer squad, but then on
recent form, they might get to see Sienna
on the podium – possibly even with a gold
medal round her neck.
“We’re a realistic medal chance,” enthuses
Sienna.
Indeed they are. Currently ranked
seventh in the world, the team have performed
better than that in recent tournaments.
When Sienna, who lives at Freshwater,
made her debut for Australia in the 2022
FINA World League Intercontinental Cup
in Peru, The Stingers remained unbeaten,
beating world number ones the USA in the
process. They finished sixth in the 2024
World Championships in Doha earlier this
year, beating Britain 20-8 in the round of
16, before losing to their nemesis the USA
by a point in the quarter finals.
“The USA are always strong,” admits Sienna.
“But also Spain and the Netherlands
will be tough.”
Now 21, Manly-born Sienna grew up
playing netball and touch footy, but was
always a strong swimmer.
And she needs to be.
“Quarters last for eight minutes,” explains
Sienna. “But with all the stoppages
you’re out there for 15 minutes at a time
EXCITED: Australian
Women’s water polo
representative
Sienna Hearn.
and you can’t touch the bottom, so you’re
treading water or swimming the whole
time.”
Not surprisingly, there’s a lot of training
involved.
“You have to be strong in all areas… it’s
whole-body movement, so there’s a lot of
fitness and cardio work. We do four hours
in the pool six days a week, swimming and
doing work with weighted legs. Then we
have three times a week in the gym, with
one day off a week.”
For those unfamiliar with water polo,
Sienna plays Right Hand Driver – it’s a
role that seeks out the forward players
with creative passes. (We were tempted to
make the dad joke “you know you’ll be a
left-hand driver in Paris”, but was far too
professional for that…)
Now playing for the UTS Balmain Tigers,
Sienna excelled as a junior with the Sydney
Northern Beaches Breakers. In only her
second game for the Australian National
Team she was player of the match.
Making the team for the Olympics was
slightly bittersweet as many of her friends
missed out.
“They set aside a day to call us to let us
know if we were in or out. I was at home
with my mum and my boyfriend. I was
a bit shocked and overwhelmed to be
included as they chose 13 from a squad of
21. We found out through the day who had
missed out, which was tough.”
Away from the sport she is training to
be a school teacher, but that will go on the
backburner as she heads to Europe for
final preparations.
“We arrive in Paris on 15 July for a camp
with the French team, after competitions
in Athens and the Netherlands,” explains
Sienna. “Then we head to the Olympic Village,
but we’ll miss the opening ceremony
as our event takes place on 26 July, the
next day.”
And all going well she’ll be home to celebrate
in true Beaches style. – Rob Pegley
16 JULY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991