“I was pretty shocked, I didn’t think I would make the team at all,” said Annie Thornton-Dibb, a water polo player for Stellenbosch University. Thornton-Dibb recently played for South Africa at the World Aquatics Qualifiers tournament in Berlin, said Nicola Barrett, coach of the South African women’s water polo team. PHOTO: Jess Holing
A Stellenbosch University (SU) student recently played for the South African (SA) women’s water polo team at the World Aquatics Qualifiers tournament. The tournament took place in Berlin between 2 and 5 May.
This was according to the selected player, Annie Thornton-Dibb.
“It’s a great privilege to play for your country,” said Thornton-Dibb, who studies Investment Management at SU.
SA won games against Ukraine and Uzbekistan at the tournament, “which was a good win for [them]”, said the SA women’s water polo coach, Nicola Barrett.
The team made the tournament’s semi-finals but narrowly missed qualifying for the World Cup, in Los Angeles, after losing to New Zealand, stated Thornton-Dibb.
As the SA team was only announced a week and a half before the tournament, their goal was to set the foundational training for future tournaments to be held over the next two years and play more competitive polo, said Barrett.
“[Annie Thornton-Dibb] has been very mobile and is starting to really gain her confidence”, said Nicola Barrett, coach of the South African women’s water polo team, about Thornton-Dibb. Thornton-Dibb, a water polo player for Stellenbosch University, was selected to represent South Africa at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Berlin, said Barrett. PHOTO: Jess Holing
Laying foundations
Moving from a university to national level of water polo can be difficult, but Maties players generally do well, claimed Barrett.
“Maties girls have a really nice opportunity to do well because they’ve got the foundations”, and access to the gym and practices, said Barrett.
“I don’t know many universities that have the opportunity like the one Maties gives,” said Nicola Barrett, coach of the South African women’s water polo team, about the water polo programme available at the university. PHOTO: Jess Holing
In the bracket
A third year medical student from SU’s Tygerburg campus, Stephanie Berry, was also selected for the tournament but could not participate due to academic pressures, she said. “I was really humbled that someone, somewhere thought I was worthy of this spot,” stated Berry.
“For us, the goals are just to make sure we still stay in the bracket to play the best of the best,” said Berry.
South Africa will send a team to the World Championships in Japan in June, said Berry. The SA team and its tours are self-funded, added Berry.
Challenges for SA water polo
“Our girls have full-time jobs or are studying [full-time], and they’re training too. It can be tough, but we’re tougher,” said Barrett.
“In this country, [you] can’t really put water polo above [your] degree because there’s no real way to make an income from water polo,” said Berry.
Nicola Barrett, coach of the South African women’s water polo team, said her dream is to see the team compete at the World Championships. Maties water polo players, Annie Thornton-Dibb (above) and Stephanie Berry, were selected to represent South Africa at the World Aquatics Qualifiers tournament in Berlin, said Barrett. PHOTO: Jess Holing