Canada 4th at Synchronized Swimming Olympic Trials after strong Team Technical performance
Synchro Canada – RIO DE JANEIRO — Team Canada is in 4th position, a mere half point from the bronze medal, after the Team Technical event at the Synchronized Swimming Olympic Trials taking place at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre in Rio, Brazil. The top three teams from this competition will be invited to take part in the 2016 Olympic Games, with the final standings being determined by adding today’s scores to tomorrow’s Free Team results.
Performing an Alien-themed routine that was built as a celebration of strong, powerful women, Canada delivered an inspired technical performance that leaves them 0.5 points behind Italy and 0.3 points ahead of Spain. “I feel absolutely thrilled with our performance today,” stated Team Captain Claudia Holzner, from Calgary. “We trained really hard for this moment – we were focused and knew what we needed to do. To see such a positive outcome is totally rewarding and makes everything worth it. Our Olympic dream is now firmly within our grasp: we just have to go out and perform like we know we’re capable of tomorrow.”
Team members were Gabriella Brisson, Annabelle Frappier, Sandy Gill, Claudia Holzner, Rebecca Maule, Samantha Nealon, Jacqueline Simoneau and Karine Thomas.
Favourites Ukraine and Japan sit in the top 2 spots but the competition is close so no one has secured their Olympic qualification at this point.
“It’s anybody’s game now. It will all come down to the Free Team event,” stated Team Canada’s Head Coach, Meng Chen. “After today’s strong performance, we feel very good about our chances for tomorrow, when we will present our Fire and Ice free routine. It is an extremely difficult routine – physically challenging, where hypoxia, technical skill execution, creative movements and dynamic highlights all make for a presentation that is super-charged emotionally. I am convinced everyone will enjoy the Canadian passion and feel a connection with the routine.”
“I would also like to add how much the whole team appreciates the fact that our nation of synchro family members and partners has supported us so much this week – we feel so much energy from the bigger synchro community in Canada – it’s been awesome!”
Links:
- Re-live todays’ Team Technical Event on FINA’s YouTube channel
- Watch Free Team event LIVE tomorrow starting at 9h15 EST
View final results for today’s session
Synchro Canada is an organization that fosters the pursuit of excellence while developing athletes, citizens, and ambassadors of the sport of synchronized swimming at all levels. From its 1924 beginnings in Montréal, synchronized swimming has been actively pursued by more than 70 countries worldwide. Canada proudly ranks among the best of these nations.
Synchro Canada would like to thank its sponsors:
Program partners: Sport Canada, Own The Podium, the Institut national du sport du Québec
Official Aquatic Supplier: Speedo Canada
Official Skincare and Suncare: Shiseido Canada
Official suppliers: AdUp, National Car Rental
Official hotel: Hilton Hotels Canada
For further information, visit Synchro Canada’s Website at www.synchro.ca or follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.
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