Senior National Team Announces 2026 Duet Squad, Highlighted by the Return of 3x Olympian Anita Alvarez

On Friday, December 5, USA Artistic Swimming advanced another key step toward the LA28 Olympic Games by finalizing the four athletes who will represent the organization in the duet category for the 2026 competitive season. 

The newly named squad blends veteran star power with rising young talent. Olympic silver medalist Jaime Czarkowski will continue her role in the duet along with her former partner Ghizal Akbar, the 2024 Junior World Champion and second year 2025 Senior National Team member, as well as Kanako Field, the team’s youngest athlete and a standout from the Youth division. 

USA Artistic Swimming is also thrilled to welcome back Anita Alvarez to the duet lineup. After focusing solely on the team event during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the three-time Olympian returns to an event in which she has already made two Olympic appearances—bringing invaluable experience and leadership to the squad. 

As USAAS continues building toward a historic home-soil appearance at the 2028 Olympic Games, the duet squad is already hard at work developing fresh choreography and experimenting with new athlete combinations. Coaches and athletes look forward to maximizing the diverse strengths this talented group brings to the water.