Paris 2024 Olympics: Australia name eight-member artistic swimming team
Rayna Buckle and Kierra Gazzard are the returning Olympians in the squad while the remaining six will be making their Summer Games debuts.
Eight artistic swimmers have been selected for the Australian Olympic Team for the Paris 2024 Summer Games.
The team was announced at Townsville’s Tobruk Memorial Baths by hockey legend Mark Knowles, who is Australia’s deputy Chef de Mission for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Tokyo Olympians Rayna Buckle and Kierra Gazzard are poised to make their second appearance at the Summer Games. The remaining six members will be making their Olympic debuts.
The squad is currently training in Townsville at the historic pool which has hosted Olympic staging camps for Australian Olympic swimmers since the 1950s.
Coached by Spain’s Paula Klamberg, a London 2012 bronze medallist, the team will enter the Paris Games on the back of a string of impressive results. This includes achieving their highest-ever score at the World Championships in Doha in February and winning three medals at the World Cup in China last month.
“It’s so special,” the 22-year-old Gazzard said. “To be able to share this Games with my family and use my experiences from Tokyo and give them to the younger girls who are doing it for the first time is an honour.”
The 18-year-old Zoe Poulis was also excited about her selection.
“It’s something that I've been looking forward to in the distance for so long and now that it's actually within reach, I can't even believe it. I'm just so excited,” the soon-to-be Olympian said.
The two athletes who will compete in the duet event will be selected from the eight-member squad and will be named closer to the Games. The artistic swimming competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics will be held at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis from August 5 to 10.
Natalia Caloiero has been named as the travelling reserve for the team.
Australia are yet to win an Olympic medal in artistic swimming.
Australian artistic swimming team for Paris 2024 Olympics
Rayna Buckle, Kierra Gazzard, Anastasia Kusmawan, Georgia Courage-Gardiner, Milena Waldmann, Margo Joseph-Kuo, Raphaelle Gauthier, Zoe Poulis, Reserve: Natalia Caloiero