Abel's team fifth in nationals

Brooke Abel’s team placed fifth in the team final of the Aflac National Synchronized Swimming Championships April 28-30 in Federal Way, WA.

The Riverside Aquettes received a total of 94.167 points, placing them between a fourth-place Ohio State University team and sixth-place University of Alabama Birmingham.

“We actually did really good,” said the 17-year-old Abel. “It was against some of the top colleges like Stanford and Ohio State and all of the top clubs.”

The Aquettes team, whose members’ ages range from 14 to 18, qualified for the nationals by winning the Speedo Junior Synchronized Swimming Championship held earlier in the month.

“It was really good for our team,” Abel said. “We’re younger, but we’re competing against older people.”

Riverside Aquettes teams on which Abel swims also qualified for the solo, duet, and trio competition in the nationals, although Abel swam only in the team competition since there was not enough time to practice for the other routines.

The Aquettes knew that they had little chance of a top spot competing against college squads. “We were actually very happy. That was our goal, to get fifth,” Abel said.

After the nationals, Abel returned briefly to her Fallbrook home before leaving for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The nationals are expected to be Abel’s last competition until the National Team of which she is a member competes in the Rome Open in June.

“It’s always a good experience,” she said of the nationals.