Ottawa – A talented group of Canadian artistic swimmers no longer have to hold their breath regarding their Olympic dreams as they are officially named to Team Canada for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Considered by many to be underdogs, Team Canada qualified for both the duet and team events with their performances at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in February. It was a show of steady progress after a team bronze medal this past fall at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games.
Work has continued for the team since qualifying, including a trip to compete at the newly inaugurated Aquatics Centre in Paris where the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup served as the venue’s Olympic test event. Team Canada took home silver in the team free routine, with the highest degree of difficulty in the field. More recently, the team won medals in all three routines (technical, free, acrobatic) at the Canadian stop on the World Cup circuit, to the delight of the home crowd in Markham, Ontario.
“Going to the Olympics is something we’ve been dreaming about and working towards for so long — I can’t really put into words how much it means to me,” said team co-captain Kenzie Priddell, who had travelled to Tokyo 2020 as the team’s alternate. “This team is so strong and so resilient, and we’ve overcome so many challenges in the past year that we know we’ll be able to overcome whatever is thrown at us in Paris, because we have such a special bond.”
The team will look to two-time Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau for leadership heading into her third Games at Paris 2024. Simoneau retired from competition following Tokyo 2020 to focus on her schooling, but made the decision to return to the sport and national team in 2023 to help them make a bid for Paris.
“Competing in Paris, a city with such rich sporting history, will be incredibly inspiring,” said Simoneau. “As I approach my third Olympic Games, I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has supported me along this journey and for the opportunity to share this experience with an incredible, unified team. I’m ready to give my all for Canada!”
In addition to the team event, Simoneau will compete in the duet event with Audrey Lamothe. The duo made their competitive debut together at the 2024 World Championships where they placed fifth in the duet free and seventh in duet technical. At those world championships, Simoneau also won gold in the solo free routine, an event not included on the Olympic program, becoming Canada’s first world champion in artistic swimming in more than 30 years.
Source: olympic.ca