As an athlete Kiera Gazzard can’t wait to perform on the World stage at the Paris Olympics.
And as an architecture student she is excited to see the way the Saint Denis Aquatic Centre has been cleverly designed to maximise natural light.
“The Paris venue has skylights where the natural light comes in, it’s beautiful,” said Gazzard.
Gazzard became the third Bondy after sprint canoe brothers Jean and Pierre van der Westhuyzen to be officially selected by the Australian Olympic Committee when Deputy Chef de Mission for the 2024 Australian Olympic Team and four-time Hockey Olympian Mark Knowles announced the team in Townsville.
This will be the 22-year-old ADCO Sports Excellence Scholarship recipient’s second Olympics after representing Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where she finished ninth alongside her Aussie teammates.
She’ll have less free time at her second Games having qualified in five events – Team Free, Team Technical, Team Acrobatic, Duet Technical and Duet Free.
The other major difference will be in the stands. While her Olympic debut at the Tokyo “Covid Games” was a lonely affair, this time around she’ll have friends and family cheering her on.
“It will be so special to look up and see the crowds and be able to share this experience with my family,” said Gazzard.
“It’s always a privilege to represent your country. I may be biased but Australia is the best team to be a part of. Our enthusiasm for sport is something special and never ceases to amaze me.”
The Aussies enter the Olympics in great form. Coached by Spain’s 2012 Olympic medallist Paula Klamburg, the Australian team has taken home three medals and a top-five finish from the World Championships at the start of this year.
The team also qualified for a final at the 2023 World Championships for the first time in 20 years.
“It was an unforgettable moment and the beginning of our successful journey to the Olympics,” said Gazzard.
She believes the strongest showing will come in the Team Free event.
“We recently came fourth and had a PB in this event at the latest World Cup in France,” she said.
“Every time we compete this routine, we improve so I can’t wait to swim it at the Olympics.”
Gazzard, who is no stranger to international competition, began competing at the World Championships in 2017 at just 15.
Since then, she has competed at four World Cups.
Originally hailing from Sydney, her aquatic career began between the lanes but at the age of eight her sporting life changed when the synchronized swimming at her local pool caught her eye.
“I tried it the next day, and the rest is history,” she said.