August 21, 2008.

GAINESVILLE, Fla – While America watches the US Women’s Synchronized Swimming team perform for the world; it is hard to believe that Gainesville, FL has been a stop in three of the ten athletes’ journey to the Olympics. The three athletes Christina Jones, Meghan Kinney, and Annabelle Orme, have traveled to Gainesville in the past to compete at the largest synchronized swimming event in the world.

Next year the Gainesville Sports Commission will - for the third time - host the world’s largest synchronized swimming event for US Synchronized Swimming the Esynchro Age Group Championships will be held June 27th – July 4th, 2009 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Natatorium on the campus of the University of Florida.

In 1999, Christina placed 1st in Team and Trio and 2nd in Duet; and Annabelle placed 2nd in Team, 6th in Trio, and 7th in Figure in the Stephen C. O’ Connell Center pool. When Meghan competed in 2003, she placed 2nd in Solo, and 1st in Figures.

The eight day event will have over 1,200 girls participate from across the nation. The competition will feature team, duet, trio, and solo in age groups ranging from 10 – 18. Alachua County will be impacted by approximately a million dollars in visitor spending and about 5,000 room nights throughout the week. The local synchronized swimming club, the Gainesville Gaviatas, will not only be competing in this event, but will serve as the co-hosts with the Gainesville Sports Commission.

“Our partnership with the Gaviatas is a special one,” said Jack Hughes, the Executive Director for the Gainesville Sports Commission. “In 1999, they were only a fledgling group. Girls from the team volunteered but weren’t yet competitors.”

The Gainesville Sports Commission is honored to be hosting this largest synchronized swimming event in the world, the US Synchronized Swimming Age Group Championships. Look for future information on how you can watch Olympic hopefuls compete in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center pool, where past and present Olympians have competed before. Don’t forget to watch Christina, Meghan, Annabelle and the rest of the United States Team compete in Beijing.