Canada’s Artistic Swimming team have claimed ‘underdog’ status as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau is part of a team of nine swimmers named to represent Canada in Artistic Swimming at the Paris Olympic Games, as the 27 year-old enjoys a remarkable return to the sport.
Simoneau was part of the Canadian team at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and was also instrumental in the nation’s four Pan American Games gold medals in 2015 and 2019. After retiring post Tokyo to pursue a career in podiatry, Simoneau returned to the sport in mid-2023 in a bid to aid Canada’s Olympic qualification.
At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha earlier this year, the veteran didn’t just help Canada qualify in both the team and duet events for Paris; she also became Canada’s first world champion in artistic swimming in more than thirty years when she won gold in the Solo Free Routine.
“Competing in Paris, a city with such rich sporting history, will be incredibly inspiring,” said Simoneau in the Canadian team announcement.
“As I approach my third Olympic Games, I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has supported me along this journey and for the opportunity to share this experience with an incredible, unified team. I’m ready to give my all for Canada!”
As well as swimming in the team event in Paris, Simoneau will partner with 19 year-old Audrey Lamothe in the duet event as part of a relatively new pairing. The two debuted together at Doha 2024 where they placed fifth in the Duet Free and seventh in the Duet Technical, followed by two bronze medals at the recent World Cup Paris leg and two silver medals in Markham.
“Going to the Olympics is the culmination of a dream I’ve had since I was seven years old. Going there with Jackie is really the cherry on top for me. I’ve already learned so much from her, and to be guided and be able to go through this experience together, I couldn’t ask for more,” said Lamothe.
While the team consider themselves ‘underdogs’ heading into the Paris Games, the nation does have a strong history of medal-winning performances particularly at a Pan-American level. The team also swam to silver at the Paris leg of the recent Artistic Swimming World Cup with the highest degree of difficulty in the field.
Following the recent team announcement for Paris 2024, co-captain Kenzie Priddell said although it had been a long qualification process, the girls were ready for their next challenge.
"Going to the Olympics is something we’ve been dreaming about and working towards for so long – I can’t really put into words how much it means to me," said Priddell.
“This team is so strong and so resilient, and we’ve overcome so many challenges in the past year that we know we’ll be able to overcome whatever is thrown at us in Paris, because we have such a special bond.”
Priddell, who was Canada’s first alternate at Tokyo 2020, will be joined in Paris by Scarlett Finn, Jonnie Newman, Raphaelle Plante, Claire Scheffel, Florence Tremblay, and first-alternate Sydney Carroll, along with Simoneau and Lamothe.