Moving Up the Ranks: Canadian Synchro Team Fourth in Olympic Final

August 23, 2008, BEIJING: The Canadian Olympic Synchro Team proved that it is climbing its way back up to the podium after a successful day at the Water Cube in Beijing, China. Yesterday’s well-executed team technical program set them up for today’s impressive free routine. The team blew past their American and Japanese rivals to land in fourth spot, with a free score of 48.167 and total score of 95.668.

"This is fantastic! We are so happy with our results,” says team captain, Marie-Pierre Gagne. “Our team worked so hard to prepare for these Games and moving one step up in the rankings and beating the Americans proves to us that our team has greatly improved. I'm so proud to be part of this Team."


The Canadian squad’s score was three-tenths of a point improvement on their free routine score from the Olympic Qualifying event earlier this year, and marks the first time Canada has surpassed the United States in the team competition since 2001.

The Russian team continued their Olympic gold medal sweep, with a perfect routine score of 50.000, and cumulative score of 99.500. The Russian team has won every Olympic synchro gold medal since 2000. Spain took its second synchro silver of the Games, finishing the free program with a score of 49.334 and total score of 98.251. Host China grabbed the last spot on the podium with 48.750 points in their free routine and an overall score of 97.334 – China’s first Olympic medal in synchronized swimming.

Japan earned a two-point penalty in their free program for touching the bottom of the pool, and was left off the podium for the first time in Olympic history in the team synchro event. After winning silver at the last two Games, Japan finished sixth overall in Beijing.

Athletes Marie Pier Boudreau-Gagnon (Riviere du Loup, Que.), Little, Dominika Kopcik (Surrey, BC), Elise Marcotte (L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.), Marie-Pierre Gagne (Montreal, Que.), Jessika Dubuc (Mercier, Que.), Jennifer Song (Calgary, Alta.), and Eve Lamoureux (Montreal, Que.), with alternate Isabelle Rampling (Burlington, Ont.) make up the Canadian team. The squad is led by Head Coach Denise Sauve and Coach Julie Sauve.

"This is a huge step forward,” says Julie Sauve. “We have been aiming for this since 2001 and for many girls on this team, this is their gold medal."

Synchro Canada is the national governing body for the sport of synchronized swimming in Canada. We support the development of synchro athletes, officials and coaches at all levels. Speedo and Eco-Fusion are proud sponsors of Canada’s national synchro teams.

For more information:
Claire Carver-Dias
Synchro Canada
Marketing and Communications
416.788.9367
communications@synchro.ca

In Beijing:
Martin Richard
Director of Communications
Swimming Canada
Beijing Mobile +86 150 0772 4307
mrichard@swimming.ca