The 35-year-old Queenslander already has two Olympic bronze medals and will now join a fresh-faced Aussie Stingers outfit as they embark on their own slice of Olympic history.

Among the veterans of the team will be triple Olympian and captain of the Aussie Stingers Rowie Webster, who will be charged with leading her side which features seven debutants.

It has been almost two years since the Aussie Stingers have played an international tournament, but as they prepare to take on Canada at 4:30pm (AEST) today (Saturday 24 July), Knox said the squad is ready.

“I am really excited to get back in the water and play an international game again, it has been a while and there was a stage where I wasn’t sure if I would play another international game because of everything, so I am really looking forward to seeing what I can do under the pressure,” said Knox.

“I am super proud and privileged to be part of a fourth Olympics and without the girls who picketed and forced their way into the Games in Sydney 2000, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. I am so grateful for every opportunity I get, I am in such a privileged position and I can’t be any prouder of what I have done.

“I really love the Olympics because you are part of such a broader community of athletes and support staff who are just trying to give it their all and perform and do what they can. So being a part of that and getting to meet all the athletes coming through and people you watch on TV and look up to, it is fantastic to be a part of that community spirit,” she said.

For 24-year-old Bronte Halligan, after many years of sacrifices she’ll have the opportunity to compete in her first Olympic Games, an honour that is not lost on her.

“It has been a long time coming to get to this point…. It has been a childhood dream for so long and now that it has come to fruition I am just really excited to be here and soaking it all in.

“Training has been good this week, we got to have a little hit out against Japan which is always good to get some competition against other international teams. We are done with training now, we have our first game today and I think we are all really excited and we are all really looking forward to our first big test of the Olympics and heading into the next two weeks of solid competition,” said Halligan.

The opening match will see Australia face off against Canada, the last time these two sides met was at the FINA World League Intercontinental Cup in 2019 where the Aussies took the win.

“Canada is a super heavy team, they like to physically dominate you and try to press really hard,” said Halligan.

“I think the best opportunity for us is to play our game, go back to what we do best, work as a team and make sure we are finishing and executing on things. There will be nerves and excitement but if we can stick to our tactics and do what we need to do as Australia then we will be fine,” she said.

Knox said Canada will present a few unknowns given the two sides haven’t met much during this Olympic Cycle and not at all since the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Tough to tell at this stage not having seen them much, they are a physical team and they will come out hard so it is really focusing on what we can do and how we want to perform and the result will take care of itself,” she said.

Australia plays Canada Saturday 24 July at 4:30pm AEST with all the action live on 7plus.

Lauren Ryan