Synchronized Swimming
April 27, 1980
Annabelle Orme
Born: March 9, 1987 in New York, NY
Current Residence: Walnut Creek, Calif.
Ethnicity: Hapa Chinese
Height: 5’3”
Event: Team
Did you know? Annabelle does a mean Pikachu voice for her friends and teammates.
Five-time national team member, Annabelle Orme will for the first time represent the U.S. at the Olympics in Beijing. Orme’s Olympic dreams began when she watched the Americans compete in the 2000 Games. Since then she has been on the Olympic path to success, making the junior national team, placing third in the duet at Nationals and contributing to a fifth-place finish at the World Championships.
In March 2007, Orme discovered she had two bulging discs in her back, which would keep her out of the pool for two and a half months. Recovering from the injury motivated her to continue to pursue her goal that has led to her current success as a member of the USA Olympic Synchronized Swimming team.
Career Highlights
2007 - Nominated to the 2007 U.S. Pan American and 2008 U.S. Olympic Teams
FINA World Championships: Combo 3rd, Team Tech 5th, Team Free 5th, Duet Tech 5th
FINA World Trophy Cup: Combo 2nd, Team 3rd
2006 U.S. National Championships: Duet 3rd, Team 4th
Swiss Open: Team 1st, Duet 3rd
FINA World Cup: Team 4th; FINA World Trophy Cup: Combo 1st, Team 4th
U.S. National Championships: Duet 4th, Team 3rd, Elements 2nd
2003 - U.S National Championships: Team 2nd, Duet 5th
Junior National Championships: Team 1st, Solo 6th, Figures 6th 2002
Junior National Championships: Team 1st, Duet 5th
U.S. National Championships: Team 7th; U.S. Age Groups: Solo 1st, Figures 2nd
United Airlines Open: Team 1st, Solo 1st, Figures 1st
2001 - Junior National Championships: Team 4th
Awards
2006 - USSS All-America Team I
2005 - USSS All-America Team I
2004 - USSS All-America Team I and USSS All-America Junior Team
Interview by Ivan Natividad
What is your favorite thing about synchronized swimming?
It mixes a lot of different sports into one, like dance, gymnastics and swimming. I did ballet, tap and gymnastics as a child, so it’s the perfect sport for me.
Becoming an Olympian takes a lot of dedication and time. Do you ever find yourself too preoccupied with the sport?
The sport definitely is my life. I’m comfortable with it now. A normal person wouldn’t get it right away, but I’m always with my best friend in practice. In high school, I’d miss the dance or prom because I’d have practice, but I don’t regret it.
You were injured with back problems for a couple of months last year. What was the hardest part of that?
The worst thing was not feeling part of the team - sitting on the sidelines, watching the team and knowing that I could not practice. But my teammates were very supportive. I am still performing with a cracked rib.
Most of your family resides in Australia. Do you relate more to being Australian or Chinese?
My mom’s entire family is Chinese. I’ve only been to China once, but I still relate to that side of my heritage.
As a Chinese American, how important is it that you will be going to China to compete in the Olympics?
It’s really special to me. I figured out in 2004 that the 2008 Olympics would be in China, and I knew that it was when I wanted to be part of the team. The Olympics being in China motivated me, and now that I’m on the team. It’ll make this Olympics more memorable.
Are you looking forward to going to the country of your family’s heritage?
I don’t know much about my Chinese side of the family. I would like to get to know that side of my culture.
Do you feel any added pressure?
No. We went there in April and hardly anyone asked if I was Chinese. I don’t know if anyone would know.
What are you looking forward to most in the actual competition?
I’m excited about the whole Olympic experience. We’ve seen our athletes compete in the past, but I hear it’s a whole other feeling. I can sense the excitement in the air.
What are your goals and team’s goals for the Olympics?
We try not to just focus on getting a medal. We want to have a great swim. We want to show everyone that the USA is back, and that we have passion and American spirit.
What is the weirdest thing that has happened to you in competition?
In an exhibition in San Diego, California, my suit, which has a strap on the side, fell, so I had to do the entire routine with my hand over my chest holding the suit up.
BECKY KIM - synchronized swimming
Born: Feb. 28, 1985 in Redwood City, Calif.
Current Residence: Redwood City, Calif.
Ethnicity: Korean
Height: 5′4″
Event: Team
Did you know?: Kim loves to bake. Banana bread is her specialty.
Before a performance that demands incredible strength and endurance as well as artistry, grace and precision, Becky Kim visualizes the routine in her head and pumps up to the universal favorite “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. An eight-time national team member, Kim helped the team to secure a berth at the Beijing games with a gold medal finish at the Pan American Games.
Kim redshirted her senior year at Ohio State in 2007 to join the U.S. Senior and World teams in international competitions. As a Buckeye, she switched her major from Korean to nutrition and plans to become an optometrist. If she were not a swimmer, Kim would be playing golf, figure skating or dancing and has also previously participated in figure skating and gymnastics. Not surprisingly, her favorite synchronized swimming move is the splits, which she explains jokingly as “the only thing I know I can get a perfect 10 on.”
Career Highlights:
2007 - Nominated to the 2007 U.S. Pan American and 2008 U.S. Olympic Teams; FINA World Championships: Combo 3rd, Team Tech 5th, Team Free 5th
2006 - Collegiate Nationals: Team 2nd, Trio 1st, Solo 2nd; U.S. National Championships: Solo 5th; Team 3rd; Swiss Open: Team 1st; FINA World Cup: Team 4th; FINA World Trophy Cup: Team 4th, Combo 1st
2005 - Collegiate Nationals: Team 2nd, Trio 2nd, Solo 2nd, Duet 2nd; U.S. National Championships: Team 4th, Duet 8th, Solo 10th; FINA World Championships: Team 4th
2004 - Collegiate National Championships: Team 1st, Duet 1st, Trio 1st; U.S. National Championships: Team 2nd, Solo 9th, Duet 4th; National Team Trials 6th
2003 - U.S. National Championshis: Team 2nd, Solo 8th; Duet 5th; Junior National Championships: Team 1st, Solo 2nd, Duet 1st
2002 - FINA Junior World Championships: Team 7th; U.S. National Championships: Team 2nd, Duet 9th, Solo 20th; Junior National Championships: Solo 4th, Duet 2nd, Team 1st, Figures 3rd; French Open: Team 1st
2001 - U.S. National Championships: Team 2nd, Duet 13th; Junior National Championships: Solo 8th, Duet 4th, Trio 1st, Figures 10th
2000 - U.S. Open: Duet, Team 1st
Honors:
2004-05 Most Outstanding Buckeye Swimmer Award
2003 All American Junior Award.
2003 All American Senior Award
Senior Walnut Creek Aquanut of the Year
2005 and 2006 USSS All-American Team
2002 USSS All-American Team II
2001 Jr. All-America Team
Interview by Vicki Mac
How do you feel knowing the Olympics are only weeks away?
A lot of anticipation, excitement. It’s kind of hard to grasp; my ultimate dream has come to an end. I want to soak up every minute of it. I want it to slow down and go in slow motion.
What do the Olympics mean to you as an athlete and an individual?
It’s a dream. I’ve learned so much and grown so much as a person being in the sport. Being raised in a Korean family and having teammates in the American culture, I experienced two families. It taught me to be very open and accept everyone for who they are - every shape, size, culture, background.
It also taught me about perseverance, never giving up. And also about being humble because our sport gets made fun of a lot, but I know who I am in this sport.
What is your training routine like?
Starting at 6:30 a.m. in the pool for 4 hours. Then cardio, weights, circus training, etcetera for 3 hours, then back in the pool. I train for 8 to 10 hours every day.
What is the greatest challenge you have overcome to get to where you are?
The daily grind. It’s been very rewarding, and I feel very healthy and energetic. But it’s physically hard to stay active for 8 straight hours.
What do you tell yourself to keep going?
It’s not just every four years, its everyday. I have to say a lot of prayers. It gets very difficult mentally, just cranking it for 14 years. But my discipline has grown; it’s become automatic. Right now I tell myself: live in the moment, don’t get sidetracked.
Who is your favorite athlete?
Laura Wilkonson because she’s endured a lot, and I admire her faith in God.
What’s next for you after the Games?
I’m planning to enroll again in Ohio State University and finish one more year of school. I want to get into nutrition and health to help people be healthy and happy in a natural way. It feels good to eat right and be active.
Is there something else you would like to be known for?
My goal is to be a positive role model. I always try to live my life to love people - to carry someone up who’s having a bad day or give them a hug, simple acts of kindness.
Have you had the opportunity to touch someone’s life as a role model?
She is kind of like my little sister who considers me her hero. She’s been on the Junior Team and she’s Korean American too. I find that a lot of Asian American girls come up to me and tell me “I love you, you’re my hero.” You don’t see a lot of Korean Americans going to the Olympics, representing America. I’m so happy to be a role model for these Asian American athletes.
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