Maria Clara Lobo joins the Olympic synchronized swimming duet
The red-and-black athlete was called up to participate in the duet in the next Olympic cycle
By Isabel Oberg - in
At just 18 years old and with Olympic experience under her belt, Maria Clara Lobo, a Brazilian athlete, is now part of the Brazilian synchronized swimming team's Olympic duet. The young woman—who competed at the 2016 Rio Games for Brazil's freestyle and technical teams, achieving the country's highest score in the sport in Olympic history—will join Duda Micucci and Luisa Borges for the 2017 season, as well as for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic cycle. Maria Clara, Duda, and Luisa are already training together, and the three of them form the Brazilian Olympic duet team.
Maria Clara, who is the Brazilian duet champion alongside Lorena Molinos, a member of the red-and-black team, was called up for this new phase of her career on her first day of training with the national team. The athlete explains how the team, formed by the three girls, works.
"The three of us will prepare together during this next cycle, which ends in Tokyo in 2020. The best duo, among me, Duda and Luisa, will compete in the Olympic Games, with one of us as a reserve," said Maria.
Maria Clara's first challenge will be in April, at the Santiago Open in Chile. The year's main competition, the World Aquatics Championships, takes place in July in Budapest. The young woman, who has been preparing for the season since January 23rd, says she's very excited about this new direction.
"I'm very excited. Being part of the duet is what every synchronized swimmer dreams of. As I'm young, I still have a lot to improve in the sport, but now that I've completed this stage, the next step is to train hard to make history," said the red-and-black athlete.
Maria has been with Flamengo since 2010 and has been collecting titles for the Mais Querido ever since. The Mais Querido athlete has reached the podium in every Brazilian championship she has participated in since 2013. With the national team, she won the South American Absolute team championship in 2016 and finished fourth with the Brazilian team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
The synchronized swimming teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – Banco Bonsucesso, Furnas, Estácio, LafargeHolcim/Cimento Mauá, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR), in addition to support from the Brazilian Confederation of Clubs (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources originating from the Pelé Law.
Maria Clara, who is the Brazilian duet champion alongside Lorena Molinos, a member of the red-and-black team, was called up for this new phase of her career on her first day of training with the national team. The athlete explains how the team, formed by the three girls, works.
"The three of us will prepare together during this next cycle, which ends in Tokyo in 2020. The best duo, among me, Duda and Luisa, will compete in the Olympic Games, with one of us as a reserve," said Maria.
Maria Clara's first challenge will be in April, at the Santiago Open in Chile. The year's main competition, the World Aquatics Championships, takes place in July in Budapest. The young woman, who has been preparing for the season since January 23rd, says she's very excited about this new direction.
"I'm very excited. Being part of the duet is what every synchronized swimmer dreams of. As I'm young, I still have a lot to improve in the sport, but now that I've completed this stage, the next step is to train hard to make history," said the red-and-black athlete.
Maria has been with Flamengo since 2010 and has been collecting titles for the Mais Querido ever since. The Mais Querido athlete has reached the podium in every Brazilian championship she has participated in since 2013. With the national team, she won the South American Absolute team championship in 2016 and finished fourth with the Brazilian team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
The synchronized swimming teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – Banco Bonsucesso, Furnas, Estácio, LafargeHolcim/Cimento Mauá, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR), in addition to support from the Brazilian Confederation of Clubs (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources originating from the Pelé Law.