34
November 2015
Youth
www.GilbertSunNews.com
Ekberg performs with USA Synchro in Times Square BY MICHELLE TALSMA EVERSON
Seventeen-year-old Olivia Ekberg isn’t afraid to dream big. A synchronized swimmer since age 8, she hails from Gilbert but now calls Northern California home as she trains fulltime to pursue her Olympic dream. A member of the U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Team, Ekberg is training to compete for a spot on the Junior National Team. “I am only 17 so I still have one more year in that category [the Junior National Team] and I will also be training, traveling, and competing alongside my senior teammates this year,” she explained. “The Olympic Games are the light at the end of a very long tunnel, and this road inside the tunnel is no easy one, but it’s worth it. Light is always worth it, whether it’s an Olympic title or not.” The 2016 Olympic Summer Games take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Team USA has an ongoing campaign of promoting the “Road to Rio” to spread awareness of the athletes across all Olympic sports. In late September, Ekberg’s Road to Rio continued when she performed in a one-of-a-kind event called Swimming in Ink in Times Square. The event featured multicolored, seethrough swim tanks for a series of highenergy synchronized swim performances. Sponsored by Epson and Staples, the USA
Synchro team performances heralded the availability Epson’s new EcoTank printers. It took place on Sept. 24 and featured hourly performances from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ekberg was one of the performers. “The show in New York City was an absolute dream,” Ekberg said. “It was amazing to be able to jump in a tank, go underwater, and still see people instead of seeing a wall. It was surreal to be in the middle of Times Square, doing what I love, for the entire world to see. Synchro isn’t the most popular sport in America, and it was so nice to see people being intrigued by what we were doing, and stopping to see more.” USA Synchro officials said they were delighted to work with Epson on this “fun and truly unique event.” “This is a tremendous opportunity for our team to showcase this sport as we begin our preparations for the 2016 season,” said Kevin Warner, executive director of USA Synchro. The experience in New York City was a long time coming for Ekberg, who started synchronized swimming in local pools. “When I was 8 years old, a friend invited me to do a simple summer camp with her. During this summer camp I fell in love with synchronized swimming and progressed on to join a club team that fall,” she explained. “At that club, I gained a strong
relationship with teammates and coaches that helped push me through my career. After about eight years of swimming and competing on several national teams during the summers, I found myself taking a break from the sport due to other events happening in my life.” After a year off, Ekberg explained, she tried out for her current national level team. “After successfully making this team, I moved from the comfort of my home and family in Gilbert to take on a new life in Northern California to train full time for my Olympic dream.” When asked about her advice for young Olympic hopefuls, Ekberg had two words that stood out: keep dreaming. “I find myself dreaming of everything, even life outside synchronized swimming,” she explained. “Dreams are what keep your heart and soul alive, and it’s essentially what drives you to success and to work hard towards those dreams. “I dream of going to the Olympic Games, but I also dream of having a swing in my house someday, and both dreams drive me toward the other. If I didn’t dream, if I wasn’t taught to chase my dreams, I would not be where I am today.”
In late September, Olivia Ekberg and her teammates took part in Swimming in Ink in Times Square. Submitted photo
Olivia Ekberg. Submitted photo