From left, Anita Alvarez, U.S. Assistant Coach Elvira Khasyanova and Ruby Remati. Photo Courtesy: USA Synchro
The U.S. synchronized swimming duet of Anita Alvarez (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Ruby Remati (Andover, Mass.) won another bronze medal Sunday as the China Open concluded in Beijing.
Alvarez, a 2016 Olympian, and Remati scored 82.9667 points in duet free to finish third behind two pairs of sisters for the second time at this Open. China’s Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting (92.8000) won another gold, and Austria’s Anna-Maria Alexandri and Eirini Alexandri (86.8000) earned their second silver. The U.S. duo, who competed for the first time together this weekend, had also won bronze Friday in duet tech.
Alvarez and Remati will compete in duet at the next World Series Artistic Swimming event, the Japan Open in Tokyo, April 28-30.
The U.S. Senior National Synchronized Swimming Team opened its 2018 season by collecting four medals in China, two silvers in the team competition and two bronzes in duet. The U.S. had one of the youngest teams at the Open – every member of the squad who competed, except Alvarez, is also on the U.S. Junior National Team.
“I think the girls did their best at this time of the year. We have to work more on technical elements as they get ready for Junior Worlds,” U.S. Senior National Team Coach Lolli Montico said. “After every competition and after judges’ feedback, we will make some changes in the choreography as well.
“I’m very pleased with the duet performance. This is the first step for this new pair. Overall, it was a successful competition.”
“This was an awesome start to our competitive season and an incredible learning experience,” team captain Emma Tchakmakjian (New Canaan, Conn.) said. “We are even more motivated and ready to improve as we prepare for the Junior World Championships.”
Competing for Team USA in China were Anita Alvarez (Buffalo, N.Y.), Grace Alwan (Andover, Mass.), Paige Areizaga (Palm Coast, Fla.), Yara Elian (Walnut Creek, Calif.), Nicole Goot(San Jose, Calif.), Hannah Heffernan (Las Vegas, Nev.), Cassandra Neeley (Williamsville, N.Y.), Daniella Ramirez (Miami, Fla.), Ruby Remati (Andover, Mass.), Abby Remers (Sugar Land, Texas) and team captain Emma Tchakmakjian (New Canaan, Conn.)
The China Open is one of 10 events in the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series that made its debut last year. The Synchro America Open, sponsored by Orange County, is the U.S. leg of the 2018 World Series and will be held June 7-9 in La Mirada, Calif.
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