Colorado Springs/Staff Writers

The 2021 Jr. Olympics for Artistic Swimming occurred at the Air Force training center pool. This annual event showcases the best athletes from across the USA in Artistic Swimming. In the 82yr history of Artistic Swimming, this event has never had a parasports (Tiers) category for athletes with disabilities (AWD). These amazing athletes compete with teams across the USA but due to limited abilities, they are not able to achieve the similar skills required to compete with their team peers at high performance qualifying competitions.

Since Artistic Swimming (synchronized swimming) is not a 'Disability, Adapted or Paralympic sport', the athletes typically will be limited to local mainstream competitions with no progression in the long term athlete development (LTAD) continuum. SPECIAL Thanks to the Team USA Artistic Swim Federation, they have worked hard to make it possible with including AWDs in local, regional, state and national competitions as an invitational category (AWD Tiers). With showcasing the talents of our fabulous AWDs across the USA, the possiblity of including AWDs in Artistic Swimming as a parasport category in National and International competitions all over the World, including the Paralympics is now a very real possibility!

Many athletes from all across the USA participated at the Jr. Olympics competing in figures (tech) and solo, duet, trio and team routines. Not only demonstrating their abilities but proving that they can earn the priviledge of being included with LTAD for future high performance parasport competition at mainstream events all over the World. We wish to congratulate the athletes from Bay Area Synchro for being the 'pioneers' to achieve great success at this historic and inagural event to include AWDs with their non disabled peers at the same competition! Bay Area Synchro athletes brough home 8 Gold medals and 2 Silver in figures and routines! Well done (pictured) Raquel, Adriana, Natalie, Lia, and Ashlyn! We cannot wait to see you and the rest of your team mates compete all the way to future Parasport & Paralympic games!

UpDate: Bay Area Synchro AWDs have now particpated in:

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2022:

NorCal Regionals  (Gold)

Calif State Games (Gold)

USA Youth World Championships (Gold)

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2023: 

NorCal Regionals (Gold)

Calif State Games (Upcoming: July)

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2024: (Need Sponsors!!)

NorCal Regionals (Next Year: May)

State Games of America (Next Year: July)

France AWD Pre-Paralympic Competition (Next Year: August, right before the start of the Int'l Paralympics Games)

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For OTHER (Northern California) Artistic Swim Teams/Clubs, articles and season's info: PLEASE visit:

Artistic (synchronized) Swimming clubs and teams in Northern Calif (californiaartisticswimming.com)

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For more info about Bay Area Synchro, click the TAB below the Team LOGO.

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Bay Area Synchro can provide REMOTE training if you do not have a local artistic swim team OR if your team coaches need individual AWD training for you to participate!