Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Simone Fountain was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2026 as the only water polo inductee during the ceremony held in Fort Lauderdale, USA. She is the third Australian water polo athlete to receive this honor, following Debbie Watson in 2008 and Bridgette Gusterson in 2017.
The event was significant for Fountain, as several of her mentors, including Leanne Barnes—recognized the night before for outstanding service to aquatic disciplines—and her former coach Ian Trent, attended. Barnes was also noted for advocating for the inclusion of women's water polo in the Olympic Games.
Fountain received her Hall of Fame sash from Felipe Perrone, a recently retired five-time Olympian, who praised her achievements, especially her gold medal win at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she played the final with a dislocated shoulder. Perrone highlighted Fountain's decade-long status as one of the world's top players.
In her speech, Fountain recalled her assist to teammate Yvette Higgins with 1.3 seconds remaining against the USA, marking a pivotal moment in the first Olympic women’s water polo tournament. She described the determination involved, noting that she and Higgins were always the last to leave practice, rehearsing their plays.