Synchronized swimmers in last phase for Kingdom Games 2009

The athletes of the selection for Synchronized Swimming at the 2009 Kingdom Games are expecting a Cuban coach for the completion of what they have trained for during five days a week. The trainer will give priority to completing the technical part, synchronization with music and the improvement of the overall presentation.

The 9 girls in the selection are from two associations base don Curaçao: Makwaku (6 athletes) and Sharks (3 athletes). The other islands of the Antilles do not yet practice the sport at a satisfactory level. However, that will change in the future as Bonaire recently formed a group.

Trainer Neyla Diaz of Sharks is certain that the representatives of the Antilles will leave a good impression during their solo and duet presentations. ´But we still have to work hard work on the group presentations´. President of Makwaku, Indra Ogenia, agrees.

The sport requires a lot of an athlete. Not only the technical aspects of the figures, but also the physical condition is very important to be able to stay under water long enough to perform the various figures in graceful manner. Therefore, the intense daily training during 5 days a week will even become more intense, now that there is only a few weeks left before the Kingdom Games begin.

Both leaders see a bright future for the sport in the Antilles. Neyla explains: ´We started some time ago with a ´high performance development program’ for students under 12 years. That already gives results because these athletes are already at a very high level. Unfortunately, they are too young to participate in this years Kingdom games (25-31 July 2009). Indra Ogenia of Makwaku looks at it like this: ‘Give us another 5 years and we perform with the top of the world “.