Sister act to make a splash
CAIRNS siblings Isabella and Emily Muckalt will brave teeth-chattering temperatures when they hit the water as part of Queensland Country Under 16s water polo team next month. The talented teenage sisters will compete for the first time at a national tournament together when they take on the best in the country in Hobart.
A PAIR of Mooroobool sisters will be hoping to make a splash when they line up – or rather, dive in – for the Queensland Country under-16 water polo team next month.
Isabella, 15, and Emily Muckalt, 14, will have to brave Hobart’s teethchattering temperatures as they compete against the country’s best at the U16 Girls National Aged Club Championships.
Isabella made her mark on the regional water polo scene when she represented the Cairns open ladies’ team at the Queensland Country Championships in Townsville earlier this year.
She will be looking to impress in what will be her first national tournament and is keen to put a physical stamp on the competition.
Younger sister Emily also made her intentions in the water clear by securing a spot in the team alongside her sister.
“It feels great to represent Cairns and Queensland in this competition,” said the 14-yearold. “I’m really looking forward to playing some hard and competitive water polo and making my team proud.
“Having my sister in the team is great because we know how each other plays, but it also makes me more competitive.”
Father Adam said the girls first played water polo in Canberra in 2014.
“Emily saw a water polo sign outside swimming one day and went to a tryout, Isabella quickly followed and they were immediately hooked,” he said.
Cairns Water Polo president Jesse O’Hara said the sisters had natural physical flair and were well-suited to the demands of the sport.
“Their ability has come along in leaps and bounds in the past six months, so it’s no surprise to see them getting representative honours,” O’Hara said.
In less than a year of operation, Cairns Water Polo has sent junior and senior athletes to Albury, Rockhampton, Townsville and now Tasmania to compete on the national stage.
Cairns Water Polo will celebrate its first birthday in November.