Japan Wins Individual Titles at Synchronzied Swimming

Japan took two of three titles home from the American Cup VIII, an international junior synchronized swimming competition that ended Sunday at the Cerritos Olympic Swim Center.

Japanese swimmer Naoko Kawashima, 16, placed first in solos, and teammates Satoe Hokoda and Kanako Kiteo, both 16, won the duet title. The team title went to the U.S., which also won the last American Cup team title in 1996.

Kawashima’s score of 86.726 left her in first place with only Becky Martin of the U.S. left to compete. Martin, 17, who recently finished first in the U.S. Open solo competition, finished with a score of 86.544, less than two-tenths of a point behind Kawashima.

“[Sunday] I tried to improve things that I needed to work on from [Saturday],” Martin said. “I felt a lot better, and I think overall it was a better performance.”

Kawashima’s routine featured many short, less difficult sequences, but each figure was performed with few mistakes, if any. Martin’s routine was arguably the most difficult of the meet, but she struggled to keep her herself high out of the water.

Canada’s Anouk Reniere La-Freniere, 15, was third, with a score of 85.589. LaFreniere’s routine was the least traditional of all, featuring unique moves that displayed her flexibility and strength.

In the duets, Martin and Andrea Nott, 16, who have been partners for only a week and a half, finished second, and third place went to Canada’s LaFreniere and Jessika Dubuc.

The U.S. easily won the team title, scoring 86.316 points. Canada finished nearly a point behind, with a score of 85.545 and Mexico finished third at 79.182.