Sarah Brunin-Brouillette announces her retirement

Ottawa, November 21, 2014 – Synchro Canada would like to thank and congratulate its newly retired athlete Sarah Brunin-Brouillette (Laval, QC) who announces her retirement today.

Sarah got familiarized with synchronized swimming when she was 6 years old at the suggestion of her mother. “As soon as my coach allowed me to put my head upside down and my legs in the air, I was in love with the sport!” Thirteen years later, the athlete from Laval, QC, qualified for Synchro Canada’s Senior National Team.

An athlete of remarkable perseverance and determination, Sarah came back from a hip injury that required arthroscopic surgery and kept her away from the competition in 2011 and 2012 to make the National Team in 2013. “One of the happiest days of my life was September 19th when the Centre called to tell me that I had made the team. It was the best gift possible for all my hard work through the bumps and the hills.”

Ultimately, it is that same hip condition that is forcing Sarah to retire. “Be assured”, she says, “that if it wasn’t for my health condition, I would swim for many more years.”

A member of the Junior National Team in 2010 and 2011, she represented Canada at the 2010 FINA World Junior Championships where she won a bronze medal in the team event. She was also a member of the 13-15 National Team where she won a gold medal in 2008 and a bronze medal in 2009 in the team event.

“Even though I am retiring, I aspire to transmit my love and passion for the sport to younger athletes”, added Sarah. “I learned so much about the sport and myself. I have not only found out the kind of athlete I wanted to be, but also the kind of person I wanted to be.”

She also had many people to thank : “I am truly blessed to have met people that were so devoted. I really want to thank Synchro Canada’s Coaches for the opportunity they gave me and for believing in me until the end. A special thank you to INS, Dre. Manon Côté, Julie Gardiner, Alain Delorme, Joé Mainville Tessier, Marie-Claude Lapointe and John Pradier. Each one of them made my journey memorable and brought hope to it.”

“On behalf of all Synchro Canada’s members, I would like to thank Sarah for her contribution to Canadian synchronized swimming”, said Synchro Canada’s Senior National Team Head Coach, Meng Chen. “Her history with us shows that with perseverance and passion, anything is possible.”

About Synchro Canada

Synchro Canada is the national organization governing synchronized swimming in Canada. It represents 10 provincial associations, a territorial association, as well as some 150 clubs and 12,000 members across Canada. A member of FINA, the world’s governing aquatic sports organization, Synchro Canada promotes the quest for excellence by developing the athletes, citizens and ambassadors of the sport of synchronized swimming at every level.

Synchro Canada would like to thank its sponsors:

Program partners: Sport Canada, Own The Podium, the Institut national du sport du Québec

Official Aquatic Supplier: Speedo Canada

Official make up: MAKE UP FOR EVER

Official suppliers: Knox Gelatine, AdUp, National Car Rental

Official hotel: Hilton Hotels Canada

For further information, visit Synchro Canada’s Website at www.synchro.ca or follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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For information:

Stéphane Côté

Synchro Canada

Communications Coordinator