Even the ear bleeding urgings of Australia’s master motivator Laurie Lawrence weren’t enough for the Guppies to “get the chocolates” over arch rivals Oceans 9 in their women’s water polo final at the Southport Olympic Pool today (Sunday).
With seven Olympians from 2000 and 2004 in the pool, Oceans 9 defeated The Guppies 14-10 in a physically draining Pan Pacific Masters Games decider.
Locked at 10-all with only minutes left on the clock, a four-unanswered-goal-barrage sealed the deal and the gold medal for the Oceans9 women. Players on both teams were exhausted after the effort.
Lawrence was poolside to cheer on daughter Kate (33) who starred for the silver medalists.
Australian sports fans fondly recall the flamboyant swimming coach going ballistic in the crowd at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games when his charge Duncan Armstrong took gold in the 200m freestyle.
True to form, he initiated a string of Mexican Waves and Guppies chants in the Southport grandstands on Sunday.
“The Guppies are a bit of a water polo institution here on the Gold Coast and it was a great final,” Lawrence said.
“It’s unbelievable that you can get seven internationals in a match like this.
“The Guppies came from behind and we had the cheer squad going over here, but we couldn’t get the chocolates.
“We had a Mexican Wave and a bit of everything happening, but for me it was just great to come along and support Kate,” he said.
Lawrence said he is a big fan of the strong camaraderie that water polo offers.
“My two daughters play water polo here on the Gold Coast and I just think it’s just an absolutely fantastic sport to take you right through life.
“They still enjoy playing and some people play together for 30 or 40 years or more. Tremendous friendships are born in the water,” he said.Kate Lawrence is a Laurie Lawrence Swim School manager at Banora Point who has been playing water polo for 20 years.
She said she appreciates her father’s often gregarious support.
“He’s always pretty good to get a cheer squad happening and all that sort of thing.
“I felt sorry for the cheer squad today actually, he made them do all the work.
“But I’m used to it, he loves doing it, it’s all good fun,” she said.
The new system was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not important for us.
