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EDMONTON GRADS TROPHY
for Outstanding Female Team
2000 Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team
Nominated by Synchro Canada
Two years after a sub-par world championship performance left Canada without a medal for the first time in senior international competition, the national synchronized swimming team stood on the Olympic podium and joyfully accepted the bronze medal. "It's a great, great feeling," said captain Kirsten Normand about winning the medal. With the unbeatable Russians locked into first place and France solidly in second, the Canadians, who swam last, did it the hard way, knocking off their traditional rivals from the United States.
The medal is testimony to the tremendous hard work and sacrifice of all 10 team members who came together to train at the sport's centre of excellence in Etobicoke, Ont. Committed to perfecting the innovative and intricate routines that are its hallmark--and to restoring its reputation--the team showed that it was firmly on the comeback trail with a gold medal performance at the 1999 Roma Sincro. Equally important was the 1999 Pan American Games gold medal.
Unveiled in April 2000 to great acclaim, the team's spectacular, emotional, and physically demanding five-minute Olympic routine, "Olympic Dreams," was set to "Chariots of Fire." Capturing the spirit of the Games as they demonstrated 18 Olympic sports, the athletes portrayed the emotions evoked by victory, defeat, anticipation and exertion. In one breathtaking highlight, a swimmer was thrust of the water, legs cycling furiously while holding onto her teammates' arms that were acting as handlebars.
In the true spirit of cooperation, beach volleyballers Jody Holden and Conrad Leinemann, archer Rob Rusnov, and boxers Mark Simmons and Troy Amos Ross helped their fellow Olympians develop the moves that won the bronze medal.
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