WORLD CLASS FIELD FOR SYNCHRO CHAMPIONSHIPS
The country's top synchronised swimmers will be put to the
test when they compete against World Championship silver medallists
at the British Synchronised Swimming Championships in Gloucester.
For the first time in 10 years, international competitors
will be taking to the water at a British Synchronised Swimming
Championships. Spain, Isreal and the Dominican Republic will
be using the event to improve competition experience at the
beginning of a tough year and will provide an excellent test
for Britain's Synchronised Swimmers in preparation for next
year's Olympics.
The 2007 World Championship Duet silver medallist Gemma Mengual
will be competing with partner Andreas Fuentes in the Duet
event and National Performance Director Biz Price believes
the exposure to the international teams will benefit the British
squad.
"This year's event is really exciting," She said.
"We have the world's number two synchro nation [Spain]
competing in the UK, it gives all of the British competitors
the chance to see what they need to do to improve. We also
have the Dominican Republic and Isreal attending. Isreal are
our direct competitors so the more exposure we have to their
style the better in the lead up to the Olympics.
"There are also three Olympic judges attending and for
me to receive feedback so soon into an Olympic cycle is great.
The competition is vital for our senior athletes as I will
be selecting athletes to go onto to compete at the Olympic
trails."
Competition begins on Saturday 1st December with the ASA
National Age Groups Figures then over the weekend athletes
will also compete in the Solo, Duet and Team events.
National Duet, Jenna Randall and Olivia Allison (Rushmoor),
will be showcasing their new technical routine as they aim
to retain their national crown. Commonwealth Solo silver medallist
Randall will also be aiming to take the British Solo title
for the fourth year running.
Price took charge of British Synchro in January 2007 and
has installed a strict training programme to raise the standard
of synchro in the UK.
"I am really excited to see how much the athletes on
the national squad have improved after three months of work
at the High Performance Centre. We have worked specifically
on their fitness and this will in turn improve their synchro.
I saw Jenna [Randall] and Olivia [Allison] for the first time
at the championships last year and it will be good to see
them in the same environment to assess how far they have come.
"For the juniors this is also an exciting time as this
competition is a trial for the Comen Cup next year. This is
a junior international competition and I will select three
athletes to compete there. For most of the athletes this will
be the first time they will have seen international standard
synchro and they can learn a lot from the teams coming."
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