Canada’s synchro swimming duo hope “heartbreak” wins judges hearts in Rio

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This article was published 18/05/2016 (3784 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL – Jacqueline Simoneau and Karine Thomas want to perform so well at the Rio Olympics that they make people cry.

Simoneau, of Montreal, and Thomas, of Gatineau, Que., were officially named as Canada’s duet team in synchronized swimming for the 2016 Summer games on Wednesday, donning their new team jackets at a news conference at Olympic House.

They will go to Rio in August armed with a new routine called Heartbreak they say is revolutionary in synchronized swimming for its emphasis on emotion and artistic expression.

They’ve even been working with an acting coach, Sebastien David from the National Theatre School, on movement and facial expressions.

“We’re trying to bring a different aspect to the artistic side,” said Thomas, 27. “It’s not going to be fake.

“We’re not going to look like we’re plastic dolls in the water. We want to look like we’re real people living something very real. It’s a heartbreak theme, the story of a heartbreak. And we want people in the audience to feel the way we feel.”

The routine made its pubic debut May 3 at the Japan Open and earned a silver medal.

“The feedback was incredible,” said Simoneau, 19. “Our free routine is completely new, never seen before in synchronized swimming, especially in the artistic components. We’re really leaning on that and hoping it brings us a step closer to the podium.”

They will test it again July 15 at the U.S. Open in Riverside, Calif., before Olympic synchro begins Aug. 14 at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

Canada, once a synchro powerhouse with stars like Sylvie Frechette and Caroline Waldo, has not won an Olympic medal in the sport since a bronze in the team event in 2000 in Sydney. The last duet medal was a silver for Penny and Vicky Vilagos in 1992 in Barcelona.

An advantage for Simoneau and Thomas is that they earned their Olympic ticket last summer, when they won gold at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. They will have had a full year to prepare for Rio.

The Pan Am win was also a confidence booster as they head into what should be a tight race for medals between Canada, Japan, Ukraine and Spain.

“It was fantastic experience for them,” said coach Meng Chen. “It really brings them to another level. Athletes need to know how it feels to win.”

“The crowd at the Pan Ams was unreal,” added Thomas. “I had never experienced anything like that in my whole career and I think it’s good preparation for Rio.

“The crowd there will be quite crazy and to focus on what we need to do may be difficult, so it’s good to know we can do it when it matters.”

It will be a second Olympics for Thomas, but a first for Simoneau. They formed their duet team after the 2012 London Games, where Thomas performed in the team event.

“I think it’ll be different,” said Thomas. “The pressure’s a bit higher, but I’m ready to just nail it. I’m excited for these Games.”

Simoneau also competes in the team event, but Canada’s squad did not qualify for the Rio Games.