ANA Synchers Achieve Personal Bests at Junior National Championships

The ANA Synchers were represented by three athletes at the Speedo Junior National Synchronized Swimming Championships, held on April 6th-8th at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis. The three swimmers qualified for the right to compete in 4 events at this elite meet, the most in the team history. The Synchers achieved personal best ratings and qualified to attend the U.S. National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, FL on April 26th-29th.

More than 300 elite athletes ages 14-18 vied at this competition for Junior National Titles in the solo, duet, trio and team events. Also up for grabs were 10 spots on the 2006 U.S. Junior National Team which were named at the conclusion of the meet. The Junior National Team will go on to compete in the X FINA Junior Synchronized Swimming World Championships October 26-29 in Guangzhou, China.

For the ANA Synchers, outstanding performances were delivered by trio swimmers Stephanie Garcia-Restrepo, 16, of Billerica, Rita Gillan, 18, and Ashley Cohen, 16, of Andover, earning them a 14th place finish. Gillan and Garcia-Restrepo finished 23rd for their duet, and 23rd and 24th, respectively, for their solo routines, qualifying them for the U.S. Nationals at the end of April.

The ANA Synchers is the synchronized swimming team sponsored by the Andover/North Andover branch of the Merrimack Valley YMCA. The team has grown from 15 swimmers ten years ago to close to 60 swimmers today. In addition to its growth in numbers, over time the ANA Synchers have risen rapidly through the ranks to qualify for an increasingly elite level of competition. In addition to the U.S. National Championships, the Synchers expect to send 35 athletes competing in 12 events to the Age Group Championships in Seattle, WA in June, and 18 athletes competing in all 5 events to the international U.S. Open Championship in Orlando, Florida in July.

If you would like to see the ANA YMCA Synchers in action, they will be hosting an exhibition performance at the Andover-North Andover YMCA on April 29-30, 2006. For ticket information, please call Charlie O’Connor at 978-790-2093.



     Rita Gillan (left) and Stephanie Garcia Restrepo of the ANA Synchers