Victoria Woroniecki Has Quick Rise to U.S. Senior National Squad

Anita Alvarez (left) with partner Victoria Woroniecki (right). Photo Courtesy: USA Synchro

by Dax Lowery, Swimming World Contributor.

Victoria Woroniecki is ready to help build on the U.S. synchronized swimming duet’s recent success – and with her idol, no less.

Three months ago, Woroniecki was named to the 2017-2020 U.S. Senior National Training Squad, where she trains with 2016 Olympian Anita Alvarez on the duet squad. The duo is training for their debut together at next month’s French Open Make Up For Ever in Paris.

Woroniecki, from Palm Coast, Fla., hopes to follow in the footsteps of two-time Olympian Mariya Koroleva and Alvarez in her goal of competing at the Olympics.

But first comes the 2017 season and a chance to improve upon last year’s duet scores.

“My expectation for this upcoming season is to improve the results from the previous year that Mariya and Anita accomplished. I can’t wait for the competition season to begin and see what it brings for us,” Woroniecki said. “I am looking forward to the new places that I will see and more of the world. I always wanted to see the world, and by doing this sport and training at an elite level, I am able to do that.”

Woroniecki has competed for the Flagler County Synchro Belles and earned a spot on her first national team just a year and a half ago when she was named to the U.S. 13-15 National Team. She is now training across the country at the National Training Center in Moraga, Calif.

“My dream has always been to go to the Olympics, and ever since I fell in love with this sport, I have been wanting it even more,” she said. “I enjoy being in a different place and calling it home now, but I really miss my friends and family because I just let everything go and moved across the country. Sometimes I get a little homesick because I want to see my friends and family, but I know what my goal is and I know that I have to keep fighting to achieve it.”

For Woroniecki, training with Alvarez – her synchro idol growing up – is a perfect match. She says the two of them are close, texting and hanging out away from the pool.

U.S. Senior National Team Coach Lolli Montico likes what she’s seen from the new duet so far.

“Victoria is a very talented young athlete,” Montico said. “They match very well and they have been friends since Victoria joined the full-time training program last year. They work well together, they like to work hard, and for me it’s a real pleasure to coach them every day in Moraga.”

Woroniecki had an inauspicious start to synchro – when her mother first asked her if she’d like to try it, she declined. She thought it was too similar to dancing, and she didn’t want to “dance” in the water. She soon changed her mind, however. “After I tried it, I got into it and fell in love with it,” she said.

A few years later she was finding success with the Flagler County Synchro Belles, winning competitions in Florida and doing well at the 2015 Junior Olympics and U.S. 13-15 National Championships. She has international experience as well, with team gold at the 2015 UANA Pan American Championships in Canada, a sixth-place finish in duet at the FINA World Trophy in China, and a ninth-place finish in the team event at the 2016 FINA World Junior Championships in Russia.

Montico is excited to see how the new duet performs at their first competition in Paris.

“I will keep the same routines as last year, but because they swim differently than the previous duet, we started to make some changes already,” she said. “They both have excellent skills with explosive power, propulsion and great presentation. This year the main goal for me is to improve the artistic side of the routines, and I can see this happening already because they match really well.”

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use