USA Synchro announced its Duet Training Squad for the 2015 Pan American Games and 2015 FINA World Championships on Wednesday.
The athletes selected to the 2015 U.S. Duet Training Squad are:
Anita Alvarez (Lafayette, Calif./Town of Tonawanda Aquettes)
Claire Barton (Los Gatos, Calif./Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Mariya Koroleva (Concord, Calif./Walnut Creek Aquanuts)
Alison Williams (Moraga, Calif.)
Alvarez, Barton, Koroleva and Williams were selected following duet trials in Moraga, Calif., this past weekend. They were eligible for trials after accepting selection to the U.S. Senior National Squad 1 at the USA Synchro Senior Trials in June.
The duet trials also were the first phase in the selection of the 2016 Olympic duet.
“The athletes swam well at trials, and the selection was not an easy choice,” said Myriam Glez, USA Synchro’s High Performance Director. “I look forward to working with the athletes on the duets and choreography.”
The duets that will compete at the Pan American Games and FINA World Champion
ships will be chosen in May 2015. All four will compete throughout the 2015 season.
The 2015 Pan American Games will be held July 10-26 in Toronto. The 2015 FINA World Championships is scheduled for Aug. 5-16 in Kazan, Russia.
Alvarez was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team that won gold at he 2013 UANA Pan American Championships. This year she partnered with Sandra Ortellado to win gold in duet at the U.S. Open, and gained valuable international experience by competing in duet at the FINA WorldJunior Championships (11th), Brazil Open (seventh) and French Open (11th).
Barton also was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team that won gold at the 2013 UANA Pan American Championships. She won gold in team, bronze in duet and was fifth in solo at the 2013 SwimOutlet.com U.S. Junior National Championships, and she finished seventh in duet at the 2013 FINA World Trophy.
Koroleva made her Olympic debut at the 2012 Games, finishing 11th in the duet with Mary Killman. She also teamed with Killman to win a silver medal in duet at the 2011 Pan American Games. Koroleva, who was recently elected as the Athletes’ Executive Council President on USA Synchro’s Board of Directors, has been on national teams since 2009.
Williams has been with national teams since 2006 and was part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Training Squad. She took a break from competition between 2012 and 2014 to expand her synchro repertoire to include coaching and performing. She performs with a group of former competitive synchro athletes around Los Angeles called AquaTeque, as well as with Stephan Miermont in Aquartist, which works collaboratively with USA Synchro.
U.S. Senior National Squad 1
Nine athletes were selected to the U.S. Senior National Squad 1 following the USA Synchro Senior Trials in June in Moraga, Calif. The national team started full-time training at the National Training Center there at the end of August.
The athletes on the Senior National Squad 1 are:
Anita Alvarez (Lafayette, Calif./Town of Tonawanda Aquettes)
Claire Barton (Los Gatos, Calif./Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Phoebe Coffin (Los Gatos, Calif./Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Mariya Koroleva (Concord, Calif./Walnut Creek Aquanuts)
Isabella Malcomson (San Jose, Calif./Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Sandra Ortellado (Walnut Creek, Calif./Walnut Creek Aquanuts)
Sarah Rodriguez (San Antonio, Texas/Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Karinsa Tjoa (San Jose, Calif./Santa Clara Aquamaids)
Allison Williams (Moraga, Calif.)
Synchronized Swimming News courtesy of USA Synchro.