Canada's Holzner, Simoneau earn 2nd straight gold at Barcelona artistic swimming event

Canada kept up its winning ways at the artistic swimming World Super Final on Sunday in Barcelona.

Calgary's Claudia Holzner and Jaqueline Simoneau of Saint-Laurent, Que., were simply unstoppable as they charged to gold in the women's duet free event.

It was Canada's seventh medal and fifth gold over the four-day competition.

Holzner and Simoneau posted a high score of 91.9883 to capture their second straight gold medal, having also triumphed in the women's duet technical competition on Saturday.

Vasilina Khandoshka and Daria Kulagina of Belarus came second with 89 points, while siblings Bregje De Brouwer and Noortje De Brouwer (88.4668) of the Netherlands came third.

Simoneau has been on a tear in Barcelona. In addition to her two gold medals with Holzner, she has shone on the individual stage, topping the podium in both the women's solo technical on Thursday and the women's solo free on Friday.

Canada also managed to win gold in Saturday's mixed team highlight competition and collecting two bronze — first in the women's team technical on Thursday and then Friday in the women's team free competition.

Both Holzer and Simoneau are among the eight swimmers nominated to Canada's Olympic team.

Canada qualified for Tokyo 2020 in the Olympic artistic swimming duet and team events by winning gold at Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

The Olympic artistic swimming competition runs Aug. 2-7 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.