Artistic swimming competition kicked off today at the Junior Pan American Games in Asuncion, with Canadian athletes making a strong impression in the Duet and Mixed Duet Technical events.
In the duet event, National Team members Charlie Breault and Olena Verbinska delivered a dynamic routine that earned them 261.8517 points and a second-place standing, just 2.4 points behind leaders Mexico. The USA currently sits in third.
In the mixed duet, the pair of Isabelle Koptie and Nathan Zhang, coached by Amy Armstrong, also showcased a solid performance. Despite a small deduction on their final hybrid, they scored 156.3733 points, putting them in fourth place ahead of the free routine competition.
Delegation Team Leader and duet coach Kasia Kulesza praised the results:
“We’re very proud of these young athletes. Both duets delivered their best swims of the season to open the competition. We’re excited to see what they will bring in the free finals.”
Scores from today’s technical events will be combined with the free routines, scheduled for Friday, August 22, to determine the final rankings and medal winners.
Events from the 2025 Asuncion Junior Pan American Games are available live on the PanAm Sports Channel.