USA Artistic Swimming Announces Roster for Paris Olympics
Earlier this year at the World Championships in Doha, the United States artistic swimming team qualified for its first Olympic appearance since 2008. Now, the organization has announced the final group that will head to Paris for the Games next month. Eight athletes were named for the Games, down from the 12 participants on a World Championships team that has a much more extensive schedule of events.
Highlighting the roster is Anita Alvarez, who will make her third Olympic appearance. She will be joined by Anita Alvarez, Daniella Ramirez, Megumi Field, Jamie Czarkowski, Jacklyn Luu, Audrey Kwon, Keana Hunter and Ruby Remati, with Calista Liu serving as the team’s alternate.
This is the first Olympics in which artistic swimming includes mixed-gender teams, with up to two men permitted on the roster. The U.S. looked to have a male candidate for the team in Bill May, a 45-year-old international veteran of the sport. May was the first man to win a Worlds medal in team artistic swimming when he earned silver in the acrobatic routine with the U.S. last summer in Fukuoka, and he has captured six total Worlds medals in his career. However, with the smaller roster size allowed for Olympic competition, May was not named to the final squad.
Read the full press release from USA Artistic Swimming announcing the roster choices:
“It has been a long and calculated process of hard choices since Doha. Our entire 12-athlete squad qualified the team in February, each one making history and bringing renewed hope to our country. Nobody can take this away from them; these 12 will forever be our heroes,” states head coach Andrea Fuentes.
CEO Adam Andrasko shares, “We celebrate our eight Olympians and Olympic alternate as they have earned this moment through years of hard work and dedication. We also celebrate and acknowledge the entire national team who contributed toward our qualification. We would not be here without them.” Andrasko continues by giving credit to not only the Olympic athletes, but the artistic swimming community. “The parents, friends, coaches, judges, every member of USA Artistic Swimming and beyond who have supported these athletes are celebrated. Together we have developed a team to believe in, a team that will inspire us all.”
After countless practice evaluations, rigorous data analysis from two World Cup performances, and thorough consideration, USAAS coaching staff is proud to unveil the selection of the top nine athletes that will represent the United States of America at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in hopes of leading the stars and stripes to their first podium appearance in 20 years.
The athletes representing Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games include Anita Alvarez, Daniella Ramirez, Megumi Field (duet), Jamie Czarkowski (duet), Jacklyn Luu, Audrey Kwon, Keana Hunter, Ruby Remati and Calista Liu serving as Olympic alternate.
Fuentes says, “To select the final eight athletes plus one alternate, we created an environment designed to detect the highest levels of the values that define our team philosophy. Combined with their physical and technical abilities, this process led us to select the team that will best represent the US in the Olympics.”
Even though the selection process was difficult for USAAS coaching staff, Fuentes is confident in the final selection. “Each member of this Olympic Team embodies the highest levels of excellence, resilience, and unity that define us. Together, they carry the hopes of a nation, and together we will strive for our best performances and make you all proud this summer.”
Alvarez is set to mark her third Olympic appearance in Paris, solidifying her status as USA Artistic Swimming’s inaugural three-time-Olympian. While she is well-versed in the preparation for the Games, Alvarez states she feels a steady stream of confidence heading to Paris with this roster. “Our confidence is level. Which I feel is a great place to be. Although every time we get the opportunity to compete, we gain a new sense of confidence in ourselves and what we plan to show in Paris, it also always teaches us simultaneously that there’s still tons of room to grow.”
The remaining seven athletes will adopt the nickname ‘Olympian’ after diving into the pool on August 5, as this serves as the young roster’s first Olympic Games.
USA’s path to Paris has been paved with many challenges, yet with these eight athletes and determined coaching staff, the United States of America is determined to turn heads and shatter expectations in France leading this team to historic triumph for the red, white and blue.