Olympic Women’s Water Polo: Bea Ortiz Run Leads Spain to Gold over Australia

Bea Ortiz of Spain celebrates during the women's water polo gold-medal match against Australia on Saturday in Paris; Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Olympic Women’s Water Polo: Bea Ortiz Run Leads Spain to Gold over Australia

A three-goal run by Bea Ortiz early in the third quarter gave Spain the separation it needed in an 11-9 win over Australia for gold at the Paris Olympics Saturday.

The gold is the first for Spain at the Olympics since women’s water polo was added in 2000. It’s the third time Spain has reached the final, losing to the United States in Tokyo and London. Spain also lost World Championships finals to the U.S. in 2017 and 2019 and to the Netherlands in 2023.

That pain is behind them now, thanks in large part to Ortiz. She scored four goals on six shots and dished an assist. But her timing was everything.

Spain led 3-2 at half before winning the swimoff to start the third quarter. Twenty-four seconds later, Ortiz fired home off a feed from Paula Leiton.

Spain’s Bea Ortiz fires a shot on Australia in the championships match at the Paris Olympics in Saturday; Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Ortiz scored on a penalty less than a minute later to make it 5-2 Spain, and after Abby Andrews’ power-play goal briefly brought the Aussies back within two, Ortiz buried a direct foul goal to restore a 6-3 edge. Spain would never trail.

The closest Australia got was 7-6 with 5:45 left to play on Sienna Hearn’s goal. But 36 seconds later, there was Ortiz with an answer, her fourth goal on the power play to allay any flagging Spanish spirits.

Maica Garcia was 3-for-3 shooting for Spain. Leiton had a goal and two assists. Anni Espar scored on both of her shots to go with an assist. Spain weathered Australia shutting down Judith Forca, who had just a solitary assist and no goals on two shots.

Martina Terre was outstanding in goal, with 15 saves. Spain held Australia to just 9-for-30 shooting and muzzled a potent power play to a manageable 5-for-14 shooting (36 percent).

Alice Williams, blanked by the U.S. in the semifinal, restored normal service with five goals, albeit on 11 shots. She added an assist. Abby Andrews, who was excellent against the U.S., was held to 1-for-5 shooting. Bronte Halligan didn’t score but dished four assists. Hearn scored twice, and Gabriella Palm made eight saves.

The silver medal is the first for the Aussie program, having won bronze in London and Beijing after winning the inaugural tournament in Sydney in 2000.

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