SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING: Australia’s synchronised swimming scene is a drop in the ocean compared to the likes of Russia, China, Spain and Canada.  

In a country dominated by water sports, synchro is definitely a niche high performance activity, and competing at the Olympics is by far the best publicity the sport can get… not to mention swimming to an ACDC classic.

For our Aussie girls, Thunderstruck set the scene for a team performance ranking them eighth out of eight. 

As only the second Aussie synchro team to qualify, and third to compete at a Games, the team of Eloise Amberger, Jenny-Lyn Anderson, Sarah Bombell, Olia Burtaev, Tamika Domrow, Bianca Hammett, Tarren Otte, Frankie Owen and Samantha Reid were outstanding ambassadors for their sport.

Striving for excellence and still disappointed with their results in the free routine, the girls continue to put synchro on the map and only time will assist in improving Australia’s ranking and recognition on the world stage.

Our pairs team of Eloise Amberger and Sarah Bombell, bronze medallists in Delhi at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, finished 23rd overall after their technical and free routine, before joining up with the full team. Dual Olympians Amberger and Bombell have paved the way for the next generation of swimmers with teenagers Olia Burtaev and Jenny Lyn-Anderson now set to follow in their wash with the London experience entrenched. 

Competing in front of sell-out crowds and with the opportunity for synchro to be broadcast back to Australia via Foxtel, the Sydney, Beijing and now London synchro legacy will live strong in the sport, for these girls fought hard, trained extremely hard and certainly gave their all.

“The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”  - Baron de Courbetin.

Lachlan Searle in London

Olympics.com.au