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MAC Synchro Shines on National Stage
For the first time in club history, the MAC Synchro artistic swimming team won five medals and placed top twelve in the country in ten different events at the Junior Olympic Championship!
It’s an Olympic year, and USA Artistic Swimming qualified a team of eight athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after a sixteen-year hiatus. The sport has since been in the spotlight, which amped up the enthusiasm for this year’s Junior Olympic Championship. Even more exciting, this national competition was held in Gresham, Oregon, at the Mt. Hood Community College Aquatic Center. After qualifying all of their routines at Regionals, MAC athletes earned the opportunity to represent their club and the state of Oregon on a national stage, competing among some of the best artistic swimmers in the country. All the MAC Synchro athletes performed admirably and brought home silver, bronze, and multiple top placements, making history and shining a bright light on club athletics.
The team’s top-level soloists dominated the podium with a total of three medals. Senior swimmer Elizabeth Rocheleau and MAC athlete Lucy Herzig both swam their way into second place, each earning a silver medal in the Technical Solo Final event for their respective age groups. Rocheleau brought home the bronze in the 18-19 Age Group Free Solo Final event and won a second bronze medal in the 18-19 Age Group Free Duet event with her partner Sahana Desai. Rocheleau, Herzig, and Desai were part of MAC’s 16-19 Age Group Combo with swimmers Siya Desai, Siiri Dubrawsky, Tuula Dubrawsky, Torryn Gentry, and Clara Rea, who had an outstanding performance and placed third in the nation, earning a bronze medal with their Barbie routine. Additionally,
Sahana and Tuula achieved fourth place in the 15-17 Age Group Technical Duet event, Lucy earned ninth place in the 15-17 Age Group Free Solo event, and Lucy and Siya placed 11th in the 15-17 Age Group Free Duet event. Together, these eight athletes medaled in five separate events and accomplished eight top-twelve national rankings!
After qualifying for Finals in the Team Preliminary Event, The Youth (13-15 Age Group) Thor Team finished 12th in the country. Remarkable job to Siya, Siiri, Clara, and their teammates Corah Bogdanoff and Petra Daue on this wonderful achievement! Right behind them was the Iron Man Youth Team, who had their best swim of the season and placed 14th in the nation. Bravo to Gentry and her teammates Lily Dixon, Mia Kondor, Orli Schoenkerman, and Violet Sleesman. MAC’s additional Barbie routine swam fabulously and placed 16th in the Youth Combo Final event including swimmers Bogdanoff, Daue, Dixon, Kondor, Schoenkerman, Sleesman, and Ada Cornett.
In the 12 & Under Age Group Team Preliminary Event, MAC’s Hot P!NKS team placed eleventh, securing a spot in Team Finals. In an exciting turn of events, they moved up three places and finished eighth! Congratulations to Madeleine Berwind, Sabine Bliss, Seva Desai, Elle Dixon, and Eleanor Souede on an excellent team competition! Soloist Berwind (12U) swam beautifully and placed 20th with her Aladdin Solo. Dixon and Bliss placed 16th and Souede and Desai placed 22nd in the 12U Age Group Duet Preliminary event, both with their Will Smith routines.
Most remarkably, MAC’s Fuchsia 12U Age Group Team smashed their first-ever national competition, placing 20th in the Team Preliminary event. Stellar job to Lily Hoffman, Kate Latourette, Emerson Oboyle, Ainsley Schleich, and Molly Sweeney!
Led by Head Coach Lucie Svrcinova, and with the teamwork of coaches Bethany Bragg, M’Liss Stephenson, and Erin King, along with the support of family and friends, these junior athletes achieved excellence! The MAC Synchro community is bursting with pride over these devoted athletes and their outstanding accomplishments.
