Stronger with Age: How The Olympic Club Women’s Masters Won Silver in Singapore

Olympic Club Women’s Masters Water Polo team posing in Singapore with their silver medals.

This August, The Knee Joint’s own Dr. Danielle Sartori traveled to Singapore as goalie for the Olympic Club Women’s Masters Water Polo team at the World Aquatics Masters Championships and together they brought home a silver medal!

Their journey was about more than competition, it meant proving that masters athletes can thrive on the world stage while balancing training, recovery, and resilience. From the grind of preparation to the joy of winning together, every detail mattered:

• Team practices and conditioning in the pool

• Strength sessions to protect aging joints

• Recovery practices like stretching, mobility, and rest days

• Managing jet lag, hydration, and nutrition in a hot humid climate

• Conserving energy between back-to-back, high-intensity matches

Danielle Sartori representing The Knee Joint while watching a match on rest day

Once in Singapore, their challenges shifted. Competing across time zones in a humid climate required careful attention to recovery. Meals and sleep became part of the performance strategy as the team worked to manage energy between high-intensity games. Their approach included:

• Adjusting to jet lag with structured rest/schedule

• Staying hydrated and fueled with balanced nutrition

• Conserving energy between matches with downtime in a cool environment, stretching, and visualization

Danielle Sartori in action as goalie, helping hold the defense together under pressure.

When game time came, the U.S. Women's Masters leaned on experience, teamwork, and perseverance to advance through the tournament. As goalie, Danielle anchored the defense with quick reactions, sharp communication, and unwavering focus. The team earned their place in the finals, securing a hard-won silver medal against some of the strongest women's masters teams in the world.

This silver medal from the World Aquatics Masters Championships Singapore 2025, is a result of months of training, teamwork, and resilience

For Sartori, the silver medal is more than a milestone: it's proof that while age changes the body, it doesn't have to limit the spirit of competition or the joy of being part of a team. From training at home to traveling across the globe, Singapore was a reminder that resilience, discipline, and camaraderie can keep athletes strong for a lifetime.