Magnificent seven for young stars
Published 4:00pm 22 April 2024
Words by Nick Crockford
Five young Redcliffe water polo players came home with seven medals and state development honours from the Queensland Championships in Brisbane.
Amelie and Mara Hoefel, Eden Weir, Abbie McDonald and Mia Doyle won three gold, two silver and two bronze medals earlier this month.
Mara, who goes to Redcliffe State High School and Clontarf Beach State High student Eden, are also both in the state 13 and under development program.
It follows Mara’s gold with Mermaids 12pink in the top 12 and Under Maroon Division, scoring the final goal in a 3-1 victory over All Hallows.
Gallery of the medal winners
Eden collected bronze playing for North Brisbane Polo Bears, based at Albany Creek, in the 12 and Under White Division.
The bronze medal play-off went to a penalty shootout where Eden scored the winner in a 10-8 victory over Gold Coast/Buderim.
Amelie, also at Redcliffe State High, won gold with Mermaids Pink scoring twice in their 9-5 victory over Brisbane Vikings Red to win the women’s Open Division.
She also collected a silver medal with Mermaids Pink in the 18 and Under Maroon Division, scoring in the final, but going down to Polo Bears.
Eden Weir at the Queensland Championships. Picture: Lilian Lazarus photography
Amelie won a second silver with Mermaids Pink in the 16 and Under Maroon Division, going down 8-6 to UQ Purple.
Grace Lutheran College student Abbie McDonald was victorious with the St Ritas/Polo Bears team winning gold in the 18 and Under Maroon Division.
They beat Mermaids Pink 10-7 in the final to go through the entire competition undefeated.
Mia Doyle in action at the Queensland Championships earlier this month.
Mia Doyle, who at Grace Lutheran, won a bronze medal with St Ritas/Polo Bears 16 and Under Maroon team beating All Hallows Blue 15-5 in the play-off.
The 2024 Queensland State Titles attracted more than 120 teams from Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
Amelie, Abbie and Mia are now preparing to represent the Sunshine Coast at the Queensland Schools Championships in May.
Related Stories
Top Stories
Info sessions for North Pine dam
Drop-in community sessions are being held over the next nine days for those wanting more information about Seqwater’s dam improvement program.
Popular Stories
Moreton Bay artists shine in 2024 Brisbane Portrait Prize
Four Moreton Bay artists are among the 64 finalists chosen from almost 600 entries in this year’s Brisbane Portrait Prize. See their works...
'Priority' given for Waraba plans
Waraba, formerly known as Caboolture West, will be the 36th Priority Development Area in Queensland, unlocking land for 30,000 new homes and an estimated 70,000 new residents.
Trai Fuller: ‘It’s always felt like home’
Praised by Wayne Bennett for his courageous style of play and loved by long-time Dolphins fans, Trai Fuller has locked in a two-year deal with the club he calls home. He tells us why it means so much to him