Though the event won’t be broadcast until tonight on Oxygen, the US team placed fifth in the Duet Event at the Beijing Games. The USA duet of Andera Nott (who is featured in Sync or Swim) and Christina Jones looked fantastic in the preliminary event and gave it their all in the finals. The Russian team (same swimmers as the 2004 gold medal team) took the gold, Spain won silver, and Japan the bronze. Full event results here.
Denver post article here about a set of twin synchro swimmers, Janet Culp & Jennie Culp, one of whom made the 2008 Olympic Team and one who didn’t. It can’t be easy for anyone to miss out on fulfilling their Olympic dreams, but I’m guessing this was especially challenging.
2 months agoCaption: Janet Culp, left, made the Olympic team while her sister, Jennie, didn’t because of a shoulder injury (AP).
So, I’m not usually a fan of those blog entries that poke fun of Olympic Synchro, but this one is worth a mention. In a post titled, “A simple solution for how the USA can dominate the Olympics,” the author re-imagines the Olympic Synchro Duet with the team of Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. Okay, I did kinda get a kick out of this one. But despite the fact that siblings often team up in the duet event (e.g. The Josephsons aka The Js, The Culps, The Rifes, The Smiths, I’m sure there are more), I’d like to see those Mannings try to go up against Christina Jones and Andrea Nott in the duet event.
VS. 
Come on Mannings! Bring it!
2 months agoFor serious. USA Synchro Team member (and Teamusa.org guest blogger) Andrea Nott, who’ll represent the USA in both the duet and team competitions in Beijing, shares her thoughts on what it’s like to be one week out from the start of the Olympic Games. Here’s an excerpt:
“I have always considered myself focused on my Olympic goals, but the closer and closer we get to it, the less and less I think about anything else at all hours of the day. It’s even getting harder to fall asleep at night.”
Andrea (who’s featured in Sync or Swim) will be blogging at Teamusa.org in the weeks to come. Stay tuned for more of her Olympic updates! Oh, and GO TEAM!
Andrea Nott and duet partner Christina Jones captured Gold at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio.
