RIO DE JANEIRO - This coming weekend, the city of Rio de Janeiro is again a stage the a great international sports competition. Built for the Pan American Games Rio 2007, the Maria Lenk Aquatic Park hosts from Friday (the 12th) to Sunday (the 14th) the II World Synchronized Swimming Trophy Rio 2007.
The competition broadens the already large sports schedule of Rio de Janeiro, candidate to be the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games. This year, besides the Pan American Games and the Parapan American Games, the city hosted the Judo World Championship, in September.
Eight countries from four continents (America, Africa, Asia and Europe) will dispute the II World Synchronized Swimming Trophy: Brazil, Egypt, Spain, the United States, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Russia. Thee events will be held in the tournament: duet (Friday), matched free routines (Saturday) and free team (Sunday).
The competition gathers four medal-winning teams in the last international competitions of the discipline. Russia is the current world champion and it is considered the strongest team in synchronized swimming. Spain and Japan won medals in the last Aquatic Sports World Championship, disputed in March in the city of Melbourne (Australia). Champions in the Pan American Games, the United States are going to try to be twice champions in the World Trophy, after overmatching Russia in Moscow in the course of free routines in the first edition, held in October 2006.
Besides the medals, the teams will be awarded with money. The first three places win, respectively, US$ 50 thousand, US$ 30 thousand and US$ 20 thousand. The teams from 4th to 8th place will win, US$ 15 thousand, US$ 12 thousand, US$ 10 thousand, US$ 9 thousand and US$ 8 thousand, in that order.
The competition broadens the already large sports schedule of Rio de Janeiro, candidate to be the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games. This year, besides the Pan American Games and the Parapan American Games, the city hosted the Judo World Championship, in September.
Eight countries from four continents (America, Africa, Asia and Europe) will dispute the II World Synchronized Swimming Trophy: Brazil, Egypt, Spain, the United States, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Russia. Thee events will be held in the tournament: duet (Friday), matched free routines (Saturday) and free team (Sunday).
The competition gathers four medal-winning teams in the last international competitions of the discipline. Russia is the current world champion and it is considered the strongest team in synchronized swimming. Spain and Japan won medals in the last Aquatic Sports World Championship, disputed in March in the city of Melbourne (Australia). Champions in the Pan American Games, the United States are going to try to be twice champions in the World Trophy, after overmatching Russia in Moscow in the course of free routines in the first edition, held in October 2006.
Besides the medals, the teams will be awarded with money. The first three places win, respectively, US$ 50 thousand, US$ 30 thousand and US$ 20 thousand. The teams from 4th to 8th place will win, US$ 15 thousand, US$ 12 thousand, US$ 10 thousand, US$ 9 thousand and US$ 8 thousand, in that order.
