The Road to Beijing:
One is from California, one is from Illinois, and they train in Indiana. Such is the life of a synchro team. They both come from extensive athletic backgrounds. Ariel’s mother is an Olympic medalist and a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Kelci’s sister owns five senior national diving titles and all four of her siblings have been, or are currently college athletes. They both have been living in Indianapolis and training at the National Training Center for the past two years with one goal in mind – win an Olympic medal.Their Raw Talent:
Ariel and Kelci are a perfect match for synchro. They both stand 5-3 and have been a team since 2006. They have excelled in individual events, winning both junior and senior national championships. Ability is not a question mark with these two girls.What to Look For:
With several international medals over the past two years, Bryant and Rittenhouse have shown they can compete on the world stage. The question will be, will they? The U.S. did not qualify a synchro team for the 2004 Olympic Games, and has spent the last four years digging out of that hole. While that may not seem to be a factor in how well this team does, the Olympics can put pressure on athletes that they did not think exists. How will this team hold up under the pressure competing against Olympic veterans from China, Russia, Canada and Australia?Kelci and Ariel's Stats:
Kelci and Ariel earned a bronze medal at the 2008 FINA World Cup, and that speaks volumes about their ability to compete in Beijing. Next to the Olympics and the world championships, the world cup is the most prestigious competition in the world, and generally draws a nation’s best athletes - especially in an Olympic year. The pair have three synchro medals so far this year, a silver at the Pan Am Games in 2007, and in April they won a U.S. championship. Right now, they appear to be in synch. Let's hope that continues for the next few months.Next:
