The Olympic games are over!
Anna – Maria and Eirini Alexandri
A very intense year/season just came to an end. There is so much to say but at the same time nothing at all. There are no words, no explanations…
“Everyone knows, you deserve a medal” is the phrase that we repeatedly hear the past days but also years. For one time in our sports career, we want to get what our performance in the water corresponds to without anyone knowing anything. None needs to know anything… It’s a great honor to receive such feedback from our fellow competitors, and we really appreciate it, but the pain doesn’t go away, and what matters are the official results. To lose a medal, the way we lost it hurts a lot. Our dream was taken away from us in a way that we wish none ever will have to experience.
We would like to state, most importantly for the audience back home, who of course doesn’t have the expertise & knowledge of the rules and was given an incorrect interpretation of the degree of difficulties but also the new rules by the Austrian commentators on the national tv. The degree of difficulty was not the reason that we missed the medal. Everything was carefully planned, paying attention to high-level performances and clean/basemark free swims. We proved that point once again in the technical duet and also in previous competitions, where with a lower degree of difficulty and a very good execution, great results came out. We wouldn’t allow ourselves to present below or at knee cap level performances for the sake of difficulty or have performed not clean swims. As we mentioned before the competition, the new system is only then valid if it’s applied correctly for everyone. That being said, we would like to thank everyone for the kind messages of support.
We have definitely imagined a different outcome, and it is difficult to process what has happened. Being three consecutive years in the world & european championships podiums and after many hours of training and hard work which of course doesn’t guarantee anything definitely speaks for itself. And here comes the emotion that makes us say that we feel that we and our work are not respected. But it was chosen for us to be in this difficult place, namely the fourth. We are not surprised that all this comes in the competition which matters the most. Every country fought for the same thing but in the end of the day we know that we fought with dignity, fair play, only relying in our powers, giving our own fight alone in the water. No words will take back the results or will make up for that. Now we need some time to process everything and think what the next steps will be.
Thank you!
