Australia’s Stingers have suffered Olympic heartbreak, going down in the women’s water polo final 11-9 to Spain as their frustrating 24-year wait for the biggest title in the sport goes on.

Unbeaten throughout the tournament, Bec Rippon’s side finally met their match in a brilliant Spanish side, inspired by four-goal Bea Ortiz and hat-trick star Maica Garcia Godoy at a throbbing La Defense Arena on Saturday.

Not even five goals from their brilliant top scorer Alice Williams was enough for the Stingers, who had been attempting to emulate the famous class of Sydney 2000, who won the inaugural women’s tournament at home.

Since then, the Stingers have suffered so many near-misses in global tournaments and here was another deeply frustrating loss as they were largely outplayed by Spaniards, who upgraded their silver from the Tokyo Games.

It had always promised to be a close contest between the tournament’s two unbeaten sides and Williams put Australia ahead in just two minutes from a penalty to calm nerves, only for Spain to respond with two swift goals while hitting the woodwork twice more.

Under pressure, the Australians were relieved just 1.1 seconds before the end of the opening period to equalise with a great shot from the predatory Williams.

Two of the best attacking sides in the tournament, though, were stymied by terrific goalkeeping from Australia’s semi-final hero Gabriella Palm and Spain’s Martina Terre.

But Palm did let one slip through her guard from Garcia Godoy, as the Spanish eked out a 3-2 halftime lead.

Suddenly, the goals started flowing after the break, with Spanish driver Ortiz scoring a 90-second hat-trick for the Spanish, interspersed by an Abby Andrews southpaw thunderbolt.

Three goals down, Aussie coach Rippon called a timeout and the response from her side was instantaneous as Williams completed her hat-trick.

The reigning silver medallists struck from another penalty but Danijela Jackovich pounced on a rebound to bring the Stingers back within two going into the final period.

But even when Sienna Hearn put the Stingers back within one, the Spanish proved unrelenting, opening up a four-goal lead with Ortiz and Garcia Godoy again getting on the scoresheet.

Two more from Williams and another from Hearn proved too little too late for the Stingers.