Olympic History

1972 Munich: Gail Emery, Gail Pucci, and Jackie Douglas perform in the Olympic Exhibition Gala in hopes of having the sport chosen to be added to the next Summer Olympic Games.

1984 Los Angeles: In the Sports’ Olympic Debut, Sarah Josephson was the alternate and Gail Emery was the manager. The USA brought home the first 3 Olympic Gold medals for Synchronized Swimming. The first Olympic events were solo, duet and figures.

1988 Seoul: Aquanuts Karen and Sarah Josephson along with Coach Gail Emery score the Silver Medal in the duet competition.

1992 Barcelona: Karen and Sarah return for Gold along with Aquanut soloist Kristen Baab Sprague. Coach Gail Emery leads her athletes to a Grand Slam winning every single event, solo, duet and figures.

1996 Atlanta: “The Golden Year.” The team event is added to the Olympic Games. Solo, duet, and figures were eliminated and there were now 10 athletes from 8 countries chosen to perform a technical team program and a free team program. The USA performed their “Patriotic” and “Symphony” routines to a sold-out crowd in Atlanta. Coach Gail Emery (along with Coach Chris Carver from Santa Clara) and manager, Aquanut Laura LaCursia, lead the team that boasted 5 Nuts; Tammy Cleland McGregor, Heather Pease Olsen, Natalie Schneider Bartleson, Margot Thien and Jill Savery. The USA received a standing ovation, perfect tens, and made Olympic History as they became the first Olympic TEAM  champions.

2000 Sydney: Duet is added back into the Olympics. Heather Pease Olsen and Tammy McGregor returned to swim on the team and Gail Emery once again was a member of the coaching staff. The U.S. took 5th place in both duet and team at the Sydney Games.

2004 Athens: Three Aquanuts competed on the Bronze Medal Winning Team; Tammy Crow deClerq, Erin Dobratz and Becky Jasontek.

 2008 Beijing: WCA Head Coach, Tammy McGregor lead a team of 5 Aquanuts to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Kim Probst, Jillian Penner, Becky Kim, Kate Hooven and Annabelle Orme competed and ended in a tie for 5th with Japan. Aquanut Coaches Gail Emery and Stephan Miermont rounded out the teams coaching staff.

2012 London: Aquanut Mariya Koroleva teamed up with Mary Killman representing the USA in the Duet. Prior to the Olympics, the pair earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games. 

2016 Rio: WCA Mariya Koroleva paired up with Anita Alvarez representing the USA in the Duet. Mariya is currently coaching for WCA and Anita has coached WCA and been a special guest performer in the Aquanut Fall Show.

In addition to having produced 8 Olympic Champions and 17 U.S. Olympic Athletes, the Aquanuts have trained over 30 Olympians from countries all over the world including Japan, Korea, Czech Republic, Brazil and Mexico. Athletes come from all over the world to Walnut Creek to practice among elite athletes and train under a world renowned coaching staff.