Synchronized swimming

**BronzeisGolden** · 08-28-2004, 01:41 AM

What an interesting and beautiful sport. I can't believe I've missed this. I only caught the team portion, but I thought it was great. And, with scores for technical and artistic elements even! Russia was so precise and all of their moves were so solid. I also thought Japan was extremely impressive.

**purplecat** · 08-28-2004, 01:47 AM

Actually Bill May was never allowed to perform with the team at the Olympics nor at the Worlds I believe. He was allowed to perform with the team and in the duet with Kristina Lum (I loved her!

) at the 1998 Goodwill Games. He also performed with the Santa Clara Aquamaids at several U.S. Nationals and won many titles with them as well as a couple of duet titles.

**JOHIO2** · 08-28-2004, 05:26 AM

the synchronized team finals were fantastic. What those ladies do is amazing. I just wish we got to see this more than once every four years.

**mpal2** · 08-28-2004, 07:49 PM

I don't know enough about synchro swimming to argue who should have won, but I loved the Japanese team the best.

Thanks purplecat. Do you know enough about synchro swimming to say where the US team is headed in terms of rebuilding?

**purplecat** · 08-29-2004, 12:31 AM

mpal2...I don't know how the U.S. will do in the future. I do know that Anna Kozlova is a long-time veteran. She used to compete for Russia. I think she competed in 1992 for Russia, either as a duet or solo (which was an Olympic event from 1984 to 1992...team was added in 1996 and solo was dropped). She then switched to America, but had to wait out 1996 because of citizenship. She competed in both the duet and solo in 2000 and this year where she won two bronzes. I believe she is now retiring.

I looked up ages on the Athens site since you asked. Anna is 31! Wow! The rest of the ages of the U.S. team are: 19, 20, 21, 21, 22, 24, 27, 29. Quite a range! But a lot of young talent it seems!

By the way...there were nine on the whole team. One girl only did the technical program and one only did the free.

I'm no synchro expert, but I love it and have since I first saw it in 1984! Kind of like ice dancing! I'm not an expert...wouldn't dare say who should and shouldn't win, but I love it!