AMANDA LEESON-SMITH TO BE INDUCTED INTO WPA HALL OF FAME
Published Fri 21 Apr 2023
In the countdown to the 2023 Water Polo Australia (WPA) Annual Awards, WPA is pleased to unveil the Hall of Fame inductees for 2021 and 2023.
CLICK HERE to get your tickets to the 2023 Water Polo Australia Annual Awards, that will include presentation of the Hall of Fame inductees.
The Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame recognises those individuals who have made an exceptional contribution over an extended period of time to water polo as a player, administrator, coach, referee or in another capacity.
Former Queensland and Australia representative Amanda Leeson-Smith will be inducted into the Water Polo Australia Hall of Fame at the upcoming Water Polo Australia Awards.
As well international medals, Leeson-Smith won several national titles with the Queensland women’s team throughout the 1980s, in a period where the team experienced fierce interstate rivalry with NSW.
Leeson-Smith was called into the National Team in 1981 and experienced success that same year as the team won a bronze medal at the 1981 World Cup in Brisbane.
In 1984, the Australian team won a gold medal at the World Cup in Los Angeles and defeated the USA national team in the 1985 Challenge Series.
Despite a World Championships for men being held from 1973, the first official World Championships for women was not held until 1986. When given the chance, Leeson-Smith and the Aussies etched their names in the history books as they won the gold medal at the Inaugural World Championships for women, held in Spain. Four years’ earlier the team had won the silver medal, but the contest had not been part of the official competition.
In 1991, Leeson-Smith had the honour of captaining her country at a home World Championships, held in Perth.
Even in retirement, Leeson Smith is never far from a pool deck as she coaches junior teams and assists with the development of players coming through Queensland. She played a strong role in the administration of the Breakers Water Polo Club and continues to assist with the new Queensland Team, the Griffith University Queensland Thunder.
JOIN US as we celebrate the 2023 WPA Annual Awards in Sydney, NSW. Tickets are now on sale. CLICK HERE to find out more.
