(Beijing, 16 April) - Comments from Gemma Mengual (ESP), Mariana Aneth Cifuentes Castro (MEX), Lara Teixeira (BRA), Evanthia Makrygianni (GRE) and Despoina Solomou(GRE) after the duet technical routine of the Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification Tournament 2008 at the National Aquatics Center on Wendsday.

Gemma Mengual (ESP) 

On music: (Kalinka, Russian music for their technical routine)
"The music we chose this time didn't have special meaning. It is a Russian music and we chose it from a music group.  It doesn't mean that we will still use it in Olympic Games. "

On score (They got 48.667 overall in today's routine):
"The score is not bad, but there is still room for improvement."

On the Olympic pool and their feeling:
"In the venue, the water and the light are great. There are many spectators here and we feel a little nervous."
 
On her injury  (She was icing her shoulder in the trainning session the day before):
"Indeed I got a shoulder injury, but I am nearly recovered now. It doesn't affect my performance today."

On their goal on this event and 2008 Olympic Games:
"Our goal for this competiton is the gold medal. However, we are looking forward for a medal in 2008 Olympic Games."

Mariana Aneth Cifuentes Castro (MEX)

On their performance:
"We are so happy to participate in this game. I think we did a good job. I am satisfied with our performance, however not all scores we got were great."

"We made a tiny mistake on our last element. But it is so hard to make a perfect routine. We need to improve ourselves."

On their expectation for the 2008 Olympic Games:
"We expect to be in the 2008 Olympic Games in August and We hope we could improve the scores."

On their preparation for free routine on Friday:
"Our routine on Friday will be better and I hope we can make better results."
 
Lara Teixeira (BRA)

On their celebration on their results in Mixed Zone:
"We are so excited that it is the first time for us to beat Switzerland. The duet ( Carolina De Moraes and Isabela De Moraes) from our country got 12th place in 2004 Olympic Games. Now, we are improving our levels and did get a better place. Brazil is in the middle of all countries. Although we never worry about the qualification for Olympics, we'd like to catch up with other countries. Today, we did it."

On their trainning:
"The duet participating 2004 Olympic Games retired after that. We have been together for about one year and kept working very hard. We practice all day, about 8 hours a day. We are new here, that's also why we are so happy today."

On Free Routine on Friday:
"We will keep improving in Free Routine on Friday. We are happy now but we won't be satisified with what we get. We hope for a better grade."

On their career plan:
"We are still young, and we'd like to go on synchronised swimming as long as we can. We will work with all our strength and try to be at the next Olympic Games in 2012."
 
Evanthia Makrygianni (GRE)

On the theme:
"Our theme is fire. We are expressing that there is a fire somewhere in the pool and we are like firemen, using water to put out the fire."

Despoina Solomou(GRE)

On their performance:
"Today's routine is one of our best performances. We are not nervous at all, because we competed in European Championships in March this year and now we are well prepared."