Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | 5 November 2001 |
Sport | |
Sport | Swimming |
Strokes | Synchronised swimming |
Kiera Gazzard (born 5 November 2001) is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. [1] [2] [3] Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 (named Synchronised Swimming) and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography. [4]
Gazzard represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The artistic swimming team consisting of Alessandra Ho, Kirsten Kinash, Rachel Presser, Emily Rogers, Amie Thompson, Carolyn Rayna Buckle, Hannah Burkhill and Gazzard were able to progress to the final, however, they finished ninth. [5]
Gazzard was a keen swimmer from a very young age. When she was 8-years-old she watched the Artistic Swimming team training at her local pool. She decided to attend a ‘come and try' lesson and was recruited for the 12-and-under team. She trained at the Sydney Emerald Synchronised Swimming Club. Keira then moved to Queensland and trains at The Gold Coast Mermaids Club. [6]
In 2017, Gazzard competed at the FINA World Championships as a member of the Australian team. Australia beat Egypt for the first time in six years. Gazzard set herself a goal to become the first Australian soloist to compete at the Junior World Championships and in 2018 she was selected to swim solo at the FINA World Junior Championships. As well as the Solo swim, she competed in the Duet and Team events. Gazzard suffered a major setback leading into the 2019 FINA World Championships when she was diagnosed with concussion when kicked in the head during a training session. [7] [8] This did not deter her and she continued training for the 2020 Olympics. [6]
Synchronized swimming or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by World Aquatics. It has traditionally been a women's sport, although FINA introduced a new mixed gender duet competition that included one male swimmer in each duet at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and LEN introduced men's individual events at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships. From 2024, men are able to compete in the team event at the Olympics.
Svetlana Alekseyevna Romashina is a former Russian synchronized swimmer. She won a total of 41 gold medals while competing in four Olympic Games, seven world championships, and six European championships. After winning two golds at the 2020 Summer Olympics, she became the most decorated athlete in the history of her sport.
Samantha Reid is an Australian synchronised swimmer. She participated in the 2008 Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics, representing Australia.
Tarren Otte is an Australian Olympic synchronized swimmer. She was selected to represent Australia at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in synchronized swimming.
Olga "Olia" Burtaev is an Australian synchronised swimmer. Burtaev joined Australia's National Team at 14 years of age, and made her international debuts at the 2010 Swiss Open and the 2010 FINA Synchronised Swimming World Cup. Burtaev competed for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and represented the nation at the 2011 and 2013 World Aquatics Championships.
Yukiko Inui is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She won Japan's first gold medal in each the solo technical routine and the solo free routine at a FINA World Aquatics Championships at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the duet event with Megumu Yoshida, and in the team event.
Evangelia Platanioti is a Greek artistic swimmer. She competed in the women's duet at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women's duet where her partner was Evangelia Papazoglou. They finished in 10th place.
Jacqueline Simoneau is a Canadian synchronized swimmer.
Anita Alvarez is an American artistic and synchronized swimmer. Originally from Buffalo, New York, she attended Kenmore West Senior High School, from which she graduated in 2014. She began her professional synchronized swimming career after she graduated.
Emily Rogers is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Amie Thompson is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Mayuko Fujiki is a synchronized swimming coach originally from Japan. She is the head coach of the Spanish National Synchronized Swimming Team.
Emily Armstrong is a Canadian synchronized swimmer. Armstrong won a gold medal in the team artistic swimming category at the 2019 Pan American Games. She competed at the 2018 FINA World Junior Synchronised Swimming Championships where she placed 6th in solo free, 8th in solo technical, and 8th in duet technical. Armstrong was a training member of Canada's national team in the lead-up to the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics which were postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carolyn Rayna Buckle is a Singaporean-born Australian synchronised swimmer. She represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The artistic swimming team consisting of Hannah Burkhill, Kiera Gazzard, Alessandra Ho, Kirsten Kinash, Rachel Presser, Emily Rogers, Amie Thompson and Buckle were able to progress to the final, however, they finished ninth.
Hannah Burkhill is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Alessandra Ho is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3 minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4 minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Kirsten Kinash is an Australian synchronised (artistic) swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Rachel Presser is an Australian synchronised swimmer. Artistic Swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984 and is one of only two events that is female only at the Olympics. Teams perform a 3-minute technical routine of five technical elements and a 4-minute free routine that emphasises creativity and choreography.
Megumu Yoshida is a Japanese competitor in synchronised swimming. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in the duet event with Yukiko Inui, and in the team event.
Shelly Bobritsky is an Israeli Olympic swimmer who competes in Artistic swimming. She competed in the 2020 Olympics in duet, was the European Champion in the free combination event in 2023, and was a three-time European medalist as well as a two-time European Cup bronze medalist. Bobritsky will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in artistic swimming-duet with Ariel Nassee on August 9 and 10, 2024.