Synchronised Swimming teams to compete for Olympic Qualification

The FINA Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification, presented by VISA, began last April 18, 2012 with over 160 athletes from 34 nations competing for the final three Synchronised Swimming team places at the London Olympics Summer Games 2012. This will be the first chance for several top duets and teams, including the current Olympic and world champions, Russia, and the Host Nation Great Britain, to compete in the Aquatics Centre on the Olympic Park. The event, which doubles up as a London 2012 test event and is part of the London Prepares series, will also give 16,000 spectators the chance to watch world-class sporting action across five days of competition, from 18–22 April. It also allows the London 2012 Organizing Committee to test operations ahead of the Games. These include testing the timing, scoring and results systems as wlll as the pool, underwater speakers and underwater cameras that are critical for judging.
Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport at LOCOG said: “This will be our third competitive test of the Aquatics Centre, but it is just as important that we test the pool for the Synchronised Swimmers and give our workforce a chance to work as a team with 100 days to go until the start of the Games.”
Colin Grannell, Executive Vice President, Partnership Marketing at Visa Europe said: “As we get closer to the Games the London Prepares series is a vital tool for athlete preparation and more importantly for Synchronised Swimming qualification in the venue they will actually compete in. The test events give Visa an essential opportunity to test our payments network so that we are one step ahead and ready to go for Games Time.”
During the Games, the Synchronised Swimming will happen from August 5 up until August 10, 2012 with 104 female competitors trying to win medals in the Duet’s and Team’s competitions.