New Zealand and Tatarstan excelled at the conclusion of the Second Artistic Swimming World League 2024 that was organised by Double D Sports Club in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council, at the Hamdan Sports Complex.
The event witnessed the participation of 250 athletes competing in age categories, representing clubs and teams from 15 countries from across five continents around the world. Athletes representing Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, USA, Singapore, Italy, Algeria, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Spain and the UAE competed over the weekend.
Athletes representing New Zealand and the Republic of Tatarstan were standout performers over the two days of the event held before an appreciative audience at the Hamdan Sports Complex.
Anastasia Semyonovna Davydova, a five-time Olympic gold medallist and now a coach was joined by Guinness World Record holder William Walker in presenting the awards to the winning teams and athletes at the end of the competition.
Athletes from the New Zealand Team made a clean sweep in the Solo Free Juniors category and took the gold in the Duets Free Youth category, while athletes from the Republic of Tatarstan were outstanding in the Acrobatics Juniors and the Duet Free Juniors categories.
The combination of Teresa Sun and Hope Wang from New Zealand Team topped the Duets Free Youth category with a total of 220.5625 points followed by the Republic of Tatarstan duo of Viktoriia Alekina and Aleksandra Gareeva with a total of 202.9917. Georgia’s pairing of Nita Natobadze and Tekla Gogilidze took the bronze with a total of 201.1396.
The New Zealand athletes were in total control in the Solo Free Juniors category with Ruby Goodall leading the way with the gold with a total of 166.2625 followed by teammate Leonelle Matthee (157.1188) and Cynthia Suoliu from the Auckland Mermaids Club with a total of 155.0479.
The Republic of Tatarstan’s pairing of Valeriia Popova and Amaliia Beloglazova was outstanding while winning gold in the Duet Free Juniors with a total of 257.9375, leaving Jasmine Bardouille and Leni Sculz of Synquatics in second with a free total of 116.8521, while Nika Chekan and Vera Shishunova representing Russia ‘Salyut’ took the bronze with a total of 100.7917.
There was further success for the athletes from the Republic of Tatarstan as the squad clinched the gold in the Acrobatics Juniors category earning a total of 204.4133. The ten-member squad representing Italy RS Synchro Brescia won silver with a free total of 144.2000, while New Zealand Team took the bronze with 127.4133.
The World League is by far the biggest event in the Gulf region that has been organised by Double D Sports Club, since 2019. The World League strives for the development and promotion of Artistic Swimming as a women only kind of sport in the Gulf Region, while pushing to empower UAE youth through sport and strengthening international diplomatic relations within the Olympic Movement.
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