Sights on Rio polo

TOWNSVILLE water polo product Elle Armit hopes her role in helping Australia to gold can put her in the frame for a dream Olympic call- up.

Armit, 23, is back in North Queensland for a break after helping the Australian team to their first water polo medal at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, earlier this month.

Now based in Brisbane, Armit started in all seven games as the Australians went through the tournament undefeated, including a 6- 3 win over Canada in the final.

Australia’s previous best finish at the international tournament was fifth.

“Going into the tournament we set a team goal of making the top four,” Armit said.

“It got to that point and our coach said to us, ‘ Well, we’ve made our goal now, do you guys want to go home?’

We set a team goal of making top four

ELLE ARMIT

“We said no and went for the gold.”

Armit, a former Townsville Water Polo Club player, scored five goals in seven matches as Australia’s main centre forward.

While she missed the Australian Stingers side for the world championships, which started in Kazan in Russia on Sunday, the Queensland Academy of Sport member hopes that she can make the senior women’s team for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Water Polo Australia will name a 20- player squad in preparation for the Olympics.

“It’s definitely been a goal of my entire career to make the Olympics,” she said.

“It’s just step by step and see what happens.”