This is a list of Olympic champions in women's water polo since the inaugural official edition in 2000.

Abbreviations Rk Rank Ref Reference Cap No. Water polo cap number Pos Playing position FP Field player GK Goalkeeper ISHOF International Swimming Hall of Fame L/R Handedness L Left-handed R Right-handed Oly debut Olympic debut in water polo (C) Captain p. page pp. pages

History Women's water polo became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

As of 2016, women's teams from Europe, North America and Oceania won all five gold medals.

The United States is the most successful country in the women's Olympic water polo tournament, with three Olympic gold medals. The team won three gold medals in 2012,2016, and 2020, becoming the first water polo team to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals.

Spain women's national team is current the Olympic champion.

Legend

– Debut – Champions – Olympic winning streak (winning three or more Olympic titles in a row) – Hosts

Champions 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Total C 1 C 1 D C 1 D C C C 3 C 1 Champions 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Total

Team statistics

Results

Squads

Olympic and world champions (teams)

The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic titles (in descending order), number of world titles (in descending order), name of the team (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 August2024.

As of 2024, there are five women's national water polo teams that won gold medals at the Summer Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships.

Legend Year* – As host team

# Champions Olympic title World title Total First Last 1 3 (2012–2016–2020) 8 (2003, 2007–2009, 2015–2017–2019–2022, 2024) 11 2003 2024 2 1 (2004) 2 (1998–2001) 3 1998 2004 1 (2008) 2 (1991, 2023) 3 1991 20235 1 (2000*) 1 (1986) 2 1986 2000 1 (2024) 1 (2013*) 2 2013 2024

Player statistics

Age records The following tables show the oldest and youngest female Olympic champions in water polo. Last updated: 18 January 2021.

Legend – Host team

+ Top 10 oldest female Olympic champions in water polo Rk Player Age ofwinning gold Women's team Pos Date of birth Date ofwinning gold 1 Gillian van den Berg FP 2 Debbie Watson FP 3 Carmela Allucci FP 4 Heather Petri FP 5 Giusi Malato FP 6 Brenda Villa FP 7 Francesca Conti GK 8 Alexandra Araújo FP 9 Danielle Woodhouse GK 10 Melania Grego FP Rk Player Age ofwinning gold Women's team Pos Date of birth Date ofwinning gold

+ Top 10 youngest female Olympic champions in water polo Rk Player Age ofwinning gold Women's team Pos Date of birth Date ofwinning gold 1 Aria Fischer FP 2 Maddie Musselman FP 3 Elena Gigli GK 4 Maggie Steffens FP 5 Makenzie Fischer FP 6 Ilse van der Meijden GK 7 Annika Dries FP 8 Joanne Fox FP 9 Ashleigh Johnson GK 10 Iefke van Belkum FP Rk Player Age ofwinning gold Women's team Pos Date of birth Date ofwinning gold

Multiple gold medalists

The following tables are pre-sorted by year of receiving the last Olympic gold medal (in ascending order), year of receiving the first Olympic gold medal (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 February 2024.

Two female athletes won three Olympic gold medals in water polo.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Female athletes who won three Olympic gold medals in water polo Year Player Date of birth Height Women's team Pos Olympic titles Age offirst/last 2020 Melissa Seidemann FP 2012–2016–2020 22/31 Maggie Steffens FP 19/28

Eight female athletes won two Olympic gold medals in water polo.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Female athletes who won two Olympic gold medals in water polo Year Player Date of birth Height Women's team Pos Olympic titles Age offirst/last 2016 Kami Craig FP 2012–2016 25/29 Courtney Mathewson FP 25/29 2020 Rachel Fattal FP 2016–2020 22/27 Aria Fischer FP 17/22 Makenzie Fischer FP 19/24 Kaleigh Gilchrist FP 24/29 Ashleigh Johnson GK 21/26 Maddie Musselman FP 18/23

Olympic and world champions (players)

The following tables are pre-sorted by number of Olympic titles (in descending order), number of world titles (in descending order), year of receiving the last gold medal (in ascending order), year of receiving the first gold medal (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 February 2024.

As of 2024, there are thirty five female athletes who won gold medals in water polo at the Summer Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Female water polo players who won two or more Olympic titles and one or more world titles # Player Birth Height Pos Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships Totaltitles ISHOFmember Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title 1 Maggie Steffens FP 19–23–28 2012–2016–2020 22–24–26–29, 30 2015–2017–2019–2022, 2024 8 2 Melissa Seidemann FP 22–26–31 2012–2016–2020 25–27–29 2015–2017–2019 6 3 Rachel Fattal FP 22–27 2016–2020 21–23–25–28, 30 2015–2017–2019–2022, 2024 7 Maddie Musselman FP 18–23 17–19–21–24, 25 5 Kaleigh Gilchrist FP 24–29 2016–2020 23, 27–30, 31 2015, 2019–2022, 2024 6 Ashleigh Johnson GK 21–26 20, 24–27, 29 7 Kami Craig FP 25–29 2012–2016 19–22, 28 2007–2009, 2015 5 8 Makenzie Fischer FP 19–24 2016–2020 18–20–22 2015–2017–2019 5 9 Aria Fischer FP 17–22 2016–2020 18–20 2017–2019 4 10 Courtney Mathewson FP 25–29 2012–2016 28 2015 3

+ Female water polo players who won an Olympic title and two or more world titles # Player Birth Height Pos Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships Totaltitles ISHOFmember Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title 11 Amanda Longan GK 24 2020 20–22–25, 27 2017–2019–2022, 2024 5 12 Heather Petri FP 34 2012 25, 28–31 2003, 2007–2009 4 2023 Brenda Villa FP 32 23, 26–29 2018 14 Kiley Neushul FP 23 2016 22–24–26 2015–2017–2019 4 15 Alys Williams FP 27 2020 21–23–25 2015–2017–2019 4 16 Carmela Allucci FP 34 2004 27–31 1998–2001 3 Alexandra Araújo FP 32 25–29 Francesca Conti GK 32 25–29 Melania Grego FP 31 24–28 Giusi Malato FP 33 26–30 Martina Miceli FP 30 24–27 Maddalena Musumeci FP 28 21–25 23 Elizabeth Armstrong GK 29 2012 24–26 2007–2009 3 Lauren Wenger FP 28 23–25 Elsie Windes FP 27 21–24 26 Paige Hauschild FP 21 2020 17–19 2017–2019 3 27 Stephania Haralabidis FP 26 2020 24–27 2019–2022 3 # Player Birth Height Pos Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title Totaltitles ISHOFmember Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships

+ Female water polo players who won an Olympic title and a world title # Player Birth Height Pos Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships Totaltitles ISHOFmember Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title 28 Debbie Watson FP 34 2000* 20 1986 2 2008 29 Noémi Tóth FP 28 2004 18 1994 2 30 Silvia Bosurgi FP 25 2004 22 2001 2 Tania Di Mario FP 25 22 32 Kelly Rulon FP 27 2012 24 2009 2 Jessica Steffens FP 25 22 34 Samantha Hill GK 24 2016 23 2015 2 35 Jamie Neushul FP 26 2020 22 2017 2 # Player Birth Height Pos Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title Totaltitles ISHOFmember Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships

Olympic champion families The following tables are pre-sorted by year of receiving the Olympic gold medal (in ascending order), name of the player (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 February 2024.

Legend Year* – As host team

Relationship Family Player Date of birth Height Women's team Pos Olympictitle Age Note Ref Two sisters Bridgette Gusterson FP 2000* 27 Two sisters in anOlympic tournament Danielle Woodhouse GK 31 Steffens Jessica Steffens FP 2012 25 Two sisters in anOlympic tournament Maggie Steffens FP 19 2016–2020 23–28 Neushul Kiley Neushul FP 2016 23 Jamie Neushul FP 2020 26 Fischer Aria Fischer FP 2016–2020 17–22 Two sisters in anOlympic tournament Makenzie Fischer FP 19–24

Relationship Player Date of birth Height Women's team Pos Olympictitle Age Note Ref Two cousins Bronwyn Mayer FP 2000* 26 Two cousins in anOlympic tournament Taryn Woods FP 25

Coach statistics

Most successful coaches The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic gold medals (in descending order), year of winning the last Olympic gold medal (in ascending order), name of the coach (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 February 2024.

There is only one coach who led women's national water polo team to win two or more Olympic gold medals.

Adam Krikorian coached the United States women's national team to three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2012, 2016 and 2020.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Head coaches who led women's national teams to win two or more Olympic gold medals Rk Head coach Nationality Birth Age Women's team Olympic titles Total Ref 1 Adam Krikorian 38–47 2012–2016–2020 3

Olympic and world champions (coaches)

The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic titles (in descending order), number of world titles (in descending order), year of winning the last gold medal (in ascending order), year of winning the first gold medal (in ascending order), name of the coach (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 27 February 2024.

As of 2024, there are two head coaches who led women's national teams to win gold medals in water polo at the Summer Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Head coaches who led women's national teams to win gold medals in water poloat the Summer Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships # Coach Nationality Birth Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships Totaltitles ISHOFmember Ref Age Women's team Title Age Women's team Title 1 Adam Krikorian 38–47 2012–2016–2020 35, 41–47, 49 2009, 2015–2017–2019–2022, 2024 9 2 Pierluigi Formiconi 56 2004 49–53 1998–2001 3

Champions by tournament 2020 (United States, 3rd title) Edition of women's tournament: 6th Host city: Tokyo, Japan Number of participating teams: 10 Competition format: Round-robin pools advanced teams to classification matches Champion: (3rd title, 1st place in preliminary B group

Match Round Date Capcolor Opponent Result Goalsfor Goalsagainst Goalsdiff. Match 1/7 Preliminary round – Group B Blue Won Match 2/7 Preliminary round – Group B White Won Match 3/7 Preliminary round – Group B Blue Lost Match 4/7 Preliminary round – Group B White Won Match 5/7 Quarter-finals Blue Won Match 6/7 Semi-finals Blue Won Match 7/7 Gold medal match Blue Won TotalMatches played: 7 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 1 • Win %: 85.7%

Source: Official Results Books (PDF): 2021

2016 (United States, 2nd title) * Edition of women's tournament: 5th Host city: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Number of participating teams: 8 Competition format: Round-robin pools advanced teams to classification matches Champion: (2nd title; 1st place in preliminary B group)

Match Round Date Capcolor Opponent Result Goalsfor Goalsagainst Goalsdiff. Match 1/6 Preliminary round – Group B Blue Won 11 4 7 Match 2/6 Preliminary round – Group B Blue Won 12 4 8 Match 3/6 Preliminary round – Group B Blue Won 11 6 5 Match 4/6 Quarter-finals Blue Won 13 3 10 Match 5/6 Semi-finals Blue Won 14 10 4 Match 6/6 Gold medal match White Won 12 5 7 Total Matches played: 6 • Wins: 6 • Ties: 0 • Defeats: 0 • Win %: 100% 73 32 41 Source: Official Results Books (PDF): 2016 (pp. 142, 148, 158, 168, 176, 184).

Head coach: Adam Krikorian (2nd title as head coach) Assistant coaches: Daniel Klatt, Chris Oeding

+ Roster CapNo. Player Pos L/R Height Weight Date of birth Age ofwinning gold Olydebut ISHOFmember 1 Samantha Hill GK R Yes 2 Maddie Musselman FP R Yes 3 Melissa Seidemann FP R No 4 Rachel Fattal FP R Yes 5 Caroline Clark FP R Yes 6 Maggie Steffens (C) FP R No 7 Courtney Mathewson FP R No 8 Kiley Neushul FP R Yes 9 Aria Fischer FP R Yes 10 Kaleigh Gilchrist FP R Yes 11 Makenzie Fischer FP R Yes 12 Kami Craig FP R No 13 Ashleigh Johnson GK R Yes Average Coach Adam Krikorian Note: Aria Fischer and Makenzie Fischer are sisters. Sources: Official Results Books (PDF): 2016 (p. 219); ISHOF.

Abbreviation

MP – Matches played