Nine local athletes helped lift the BC Aquasonics to a pair of gold medals at Synchro Canada’s National Qualifier Championships in Montreal.
The Aquasonics, based in Surrey and Coquitlam, posted the high scores in both the Senior Free Routine and 13-15 Combo categories.
“The BC Aquasonics are becoming a force at the national level,” said head coach Susan Kemper. “I am so proud of our accomplishments this week. Our athletes brought their best to the competition and the results show it.”
Anna Seiler, Madyson Stickley and Erin Williams of Surrey were on the Senior team, along with Mackenzy Higgins of White Rock. Their score of 73.23 topped the silver-medalist Synchro Elite (71.63) and bronze-medalist Les Vestales (69.13).
Surrey residents Jessica Friesen, Seray Sefayi, Courtney Armstrong and Nancy Zhang were on the 13-15 combo team, which also included Grace Macdonald and Abby Rothwell of Delta). They scored 64.9667 to take first place for their hockey routine.
Olivia Zawadiuk of Coquitlam also had a medal-winning performance in Montreal, taking home bronze in the Senior Technical solo event and fourth place in Senior Free Solo, qualifying to compete at the Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships in Saskatoon April 30 to May 4.
Sefayi also qualified to compete at Nationals, placing 16th in the 13-15 solo event. Sefayi will take her solo next to the Canadian Espoir Championships, June 4-8 in Kamloops.
The Aquasonics Junior Team (Sefayi, Seiler and Stickley) also had a top 10 finish, placing ninth in the Junior Team finals. The 13-15A team (Friesen, Armstrong, Zhang, Macdonald and Rothwell) placed seventh in the team preliminary round.