From Russia with synchronised love
Laura Strugnell, a former Benoni High School pupil, recently returned home from the 2015 Fina World Championships, in Kazan, Russia, where she and duet partner Emma Manners-Wood represented the country in synchronised swimming.
This was third time that Strugnell has been to a Fina World Championships and she described the most recent experience as “probably the best World Champs that I have been to since I started competing at this elite level.”
“The facilities were phenomenal,” she said.
Stugnell and Manners-Wood also got to share the dinner table with recent Fina World Championships gold medallist Chad Ho, swimming sensation Chad le Clos and the rest of the South African team.
“Not to mention some of the best synchro, diving, water polo and open water swimmers in the world,” Strugnell added.
The synchro duo participated in the duet event, which was made up of two routines (a technical and a free routine) and showed significant improvement.
“Given that we had only a few months to prepare for such a prestigious event, we had improved our scores from the last World Championships in Barcelona by three points in each category,” Strugnell said.
“Although we have improved, a lack of facilities and funding in South Africa still leaves us far behind the rest of the world in the sport.
“Every time we compete at an event like this we learn new techniques and training methods and, even though we have the Internet and YouTube, it is still not the same as learning at a competition.”
In 2013, when the duo returned from Barcelona, Strugnell told the City Times that the ultimate dream was to make it onto the plane for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Asked if that goal is still achievable, she replied: “My dream has not changed and we are still trying our best to make this happen.
“We have, for the first time ever, been given the opportunity to make the Olympics as a continental qualifier, which means that only a duet from South Africa will be allowed to go, but, unfortunately, Sascoc has said they are not likely to send us.
“We are still trying our best to motivate it.”
When asked what the future holds for her in the sport, Strugnell answered: “I had claimed this would be my last international, but going to these events inspires me and reminds me why I love this sport so much.
“I am praying that Sascoc gives us a chance of a lifetime to compete in Rio and change the future of this sport in South Africa forever.
“As for the long-term goals, we will continue to grow the sport as much as we can in South Africa and share our passion and love for synchro with everyone else.”
Strugnell thanked everybody who has supported her through 17 years in the sport.
Here is just a little taste of how the girls performed in Kazan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditIf28oshE&feature=youtu.be
