This hard-earned recognition would not have been possible had it not been for the remarkable year the Aquamaids had in 2015. Not only did the Aquamaids take home a hefty medal haul of their own, team members were also part of the U.S. National Team and contributed to their many successes throughout the year. From the history-making rule changes to gold medal after gold medal in the sport\u2019s top events, last year is going to be hard to beat\u2026but that\u2019s not going to stop them from trying.<\/p>\n
1. A History-Making Decision to Allow Men to Compete on the World Stage Allows U.S. Legends to Take Home Gold at World Championships in Russia:<\/h3>\n![\"Billy-May-Kristina-Lum-Underwood-synchro-duet\"](\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Billy-May-Kristina-Lum-Underwood-synchro-duet-930x1024.jpg\")
The duet of Bill May and Kristina Lum. Photo Courtesy: Santa Clara Aquamaids<\/p><\/div>\n
Officials opened synchronized swimming up to the mixed pairs event for the 2015 World Championships in Russia which, for the first time ever, allowed men to compete in top-level international events. This achievement was hard-fought for decades. Prior to this decision, men could not compete in World competitions or Olympic qualifiers. Bill May<\/strong>, who started in the sport when he was 10 years old and had been retired for nearly a decade when the announcement was made, was determined to return to the sport and compete on the world stage after being denied that privilege for so many years. To do so, he reunited with his former partner Kristina Lum<\/strong> and Christina Jones<\/strong>, a 2008 Olympian, to compete in the event.<\/p>\nLum had a story of her own to tell \u2013 the mother of two had just given birth to her third child six months prior to the World Championship event but lived up to her world-class athlete status by getting into competing shape, which takes up to 8 hours of training per day, all while caring for her three children. The athletes were all trained by ex-Olympic Coach Chris Carver<\/strong> of the Santa Clara Aquamaids, one of the top clubs in the nation. May and Jones went on to win gold in the technical duet event, while May and Lum won silver in the duet freestyle event to secure their well-earned places in history.<\/p>\n2. Team USA Grabs Top Spot at UANA Pan American Championships in Canada:<\/h3>\n
The United States picked up six golds and two silvers in August 2015 at the UANA Pan American Synchronized Swimming Championships in Calgary, Canada. The 13-15 National Team consisted of 12 athletes and the 12 & Under National Team consisted of 10 athletes. Both groups came away with gold medals in the team events. Among the top winners in the Championships was Santa Clara Aquamaids\u2019 rising star Nicole Dzurko<\/strong>, who came away with gold medals in all four of her events \u2013 solo competition, figures, team and duet with her partner Hailee Heinrich<\/strong>. Chiara Steele<\/strong> and Abigail Kartzinel<\/strong> grabbed gold in the 12 & Under duet final. To add to their medal haul, Nicole Meza<\/strong> also won a gold medal in the 12 & Under solo final, while Caitlin Klauer<\/strong> won silver in the Junior solo final.<\/p>\n3. Santa Clara Aquamaids Challenge the Best at 2015 Junior China Open in Beijing and Win Three Gold Medals:<\/h3>\n
Ten Santa Clara Aquamaids swimmers ages 16-18 had an amazing showing in August at the 2015 China Synchronized Swimming Junior Open Championships in Beijing, winning three gold medals and a silver. The meet included over 300 athletes from around Asia, including Singapore, Macau, and many province teams from across China. The Aquamaids represented the United States and earned a gold medal in the free combination routine (10 swimmers), the team routine (8 swimmers) and the duet competition.<\/p>\n
4. US Team And Duet Win Bronze Medals At Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada:<\/h3>\n
The U.S. national synchronized swimming team and duet both won bronze medals at the Pan Am Games in Toronto in July. The duet of Mariya Koroleva<\/strong> and Alison Williams<\/strong> won the first U.S. medal of the 2015 Pan American Games by claiming bronze at the CIBC Aquatics Center in Toronto. The podium finish also marked the first medal for the newly joined duo.<\/p>\n
The duet of Bill May and Kristina Lum. Photo Courtesy: Santa Clara Aquamaids<\/p><\/div>\n
Officials opened synchronized swimming up to the mixed pairs event for the 2015 World Championships in Russia which, for the first time ever, allowed men to compete in top-level international events. This achievement was hard-fought for decades. Prior to this decision, men could not compete in World competitions or Olympic qualifiers. Bill May<\/strong>, who started in the sport when he was 10 years old and had been retired for nearly a decade when the announcement was made, was determined to return to the sport and compete on the world stage after being denied that privilege for so many years. To do so, he reunited with his former partner Kristina Lum<\/strong> and Christina Jones<\/strong>, a 2008 Olympian, to compete in the event.<\/p>\n Lum had a story of her own to tell \u2013 the mother of two had just given birth to her third child six months prior to the World Championship event but lived up to her world-class athlete status by getting into competing shape, which takes up to 8 hours of training per day, all while caring for her three children. The athletes were all trained by ex-Olympic Coach Chris Carver<\/strong> of the Santa Clara Aquamaids, one of the top clubs in the nation. May and Jones went on to win gold in the technical duet event, while May and Lum won silver in the duet freestyle event to secure their well-earned places in history.<\/p>\n The United States picked up six golds and two silvers in August 2015 at the UANA Pan American Synchronized Swimming Championships in Calgary, Canada. The 13-15 National Team consisted of 12 athletes and the 12 & Under National Team consisted of 10 athletes. Both groups came away with gold medals in the team events. Among the top winners in the Championships was Santa Clara Aquamaids\u2019 rising star Nicole Dzurko<\/strong>, who came away with gold medals in all four of her events \u2013 solo competition, figures, team and duet with her partner Hailee Heinrich<\/strong>. Chiara Steele<\/strong> and Abigail Kartzinel<\/strong> grabbed gold in the 12 & Under duet final. To add to their medal haul, Nicole Meza<\/strong> also won a gold medal in the 12 & Under solo final, while Caitlin Klauer<\/strong> won silver in the Junior solo final.<\/p>\n Ten Santa Clara Aquamaids swimmers ages 16-18 had an amazing showing in August at the 2015 China Synchronized Swimming Junior Open Championships in Beijing, winning three gold medals and a silver. The meet included over 300 athletes from around Asia, including Singapore, Macau, and many province teams from across China. The Aquamaids represented the United States and earned a gold medal in the free combination routine (10 swimmers), the team routine (8 swimmers) and the duet competition.<\/p>\n The U.S. national synchronized swimming team and duet both won bronze medals at the Pan Am Games in Toronto in July. The duet of Mariya Koroleva<\/strong> and Alison Williams<\/strong> won the first U.S. medal of the 2015 Pan American Games by claiming bronze at the CIBC Aquatics Center in Toronto. The podium finish also marked the first medal for the newly joined duo.<\/p>\n2. Team USA Grabs Top Spot at UANA Pan American Championships in Canada:<\/h3>\n
3. Santa Clara Aquamaids Challenge the Best at 2015 Junior China Open in Beijing and Win Three Gold Medals:<\/h3>\n
4. US Team And Duet Win Bronze Medals At Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada:<\/h3>\n
![\"duet-finals-synchro-swimming-pan-american-games-2015](\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/duet-finals-synchro-swimming-pan-american-games-2015-23-1024x682.jpg\")