{{Short description|New Zealand-Australian water polo player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2018}} {{Infobox sportsperson | image = | imagesize = | caption = | nationality = | sport = Water polo |disability = |disability_class = | event = | club = | coach = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|1|3|df=y}} | birth_place = New Zealand | death_date = | death_place = | retired= | height = | weight = | pb = | medaltemplates = }}
'''Joseph Henry Kayes''' (born 3 January 1991) is a professional water polo player.<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503345&objectid=11100355 ''NZ Herald'' - Water polo: Kayes firing on all cylinders]</ref><ref name="tang">[https://e-tangata.co.nz/news/samoan-joe-our-water-polo-star-in-hungary Tangata.co.nz Samoan Joe: Our water polo star in Hungary]</ref>
He is of Samoan descent through his mother, as both his maternal grandparents were born in Samoa.<ref name="tang"/>
Kayes played for the NZ Senior Men's Water Polo team in 2008.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} In 2009, he went to Perth where he played for the Fremantle Mariners Men's Water Polo team which won the Australian National League.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} In October 2009, he was playing water polo as a full professional at the Szeged club in Hungary where he stayed for four seasons. He was mentored as a Centre Forward by Tamas Molnar,<ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503345&objectid=10996323 ''NZ Herald'': Mount rookie making splash as overseas pro]</ref> a three time Olympic gold medal winner for Hungary. Joe won 2 Hungarian Cup Gold medals with Szeged along with 3 bronze medals in the Hungarian National League.
In 2014, he played again for Fremantle Mariners in Australia.<ref>[https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/21451911/wa-derby-in-national-water-polo/ ''West Australian'': WA derby in national water polo]</ref> 2014/2015 – he now plays for OSC in Budapest, once again in the Hungarian National League.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
In 2015, he obtained Australian citizenship and was then approved to play for Australia men's national water polo team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11634659|first=Peter|last=White|work=Bay of Plenty Times|title=Waterpolo: 'Aussie' Kayes lands Rio place|date=6 May 2016}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kayes, Joseph}} Category:Living people Category:1991 births Category:New Zealand male water polo players Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Australia Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Hungary Category:Australian male water polo players Category:Water polo players at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic water polo players for Australia Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen