Raphaelle Gauthier

With an Australian father and a Canadian mum, artistic swimmer Raphaelle Gauthier is delighted she has had the opportunity to represent both the countries she loves.

‘Raphie’, who grew up in Montreal, competed for Canada as a junior, taking part in team and technical events at the World Junior Artistic Swimming Championships in 2022.

But in 2023, she made the move to Australia to pursue her Olympic dreams, settling in Perth. And she has now won a place in the Australian Team for the Paris Games.

“I consider myself really blessed to be able to represent a second country due to my dual citizenship,” Raphie said.

“My biggest challenge has definitely been to move across the world … such a big change. But I love it.”

Raphie was already doing ballet and swimming lessons as a six-year-old when her dad pointed her in the direction of a sport that combined the two.

“One day, I saw that I could combine the two sports I loved practicing so much,” she said. “I thought artistic swimming would be fun to try and I completely fell in love with this amazing sport without ever looking back.”

Raphie’s rise has been rapid since her decision to move halfway around the world.
Australia qualified for the Paris Olympics with a top-10 finish in the Team Free at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Raphie was part of the team that produced another top-10 finish at the 2024 world championships in Doha.

And there was marked improvement at the World Aquatics Cup in Beijing in April 2024, with Raphie and the team winning silver medals in the free and technical categories and bronze in the acrobatic.

Raphie said her Australian teammates have helped her through the transition.

“They’ve made it really easy,” she said. “They’ve been really welcoming and I get along with everyone.”

She said a couple of months before the Paris Olympics it was “only just starting to sink in” that an Olympic dream she had as a little girl in Montreal was finally about to be realised.

“It’s been my dream since I was six years old and it’s finally coming true.”

In a dazzling display of aquatic artistry and athleticism at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Australia's Artistic Swimming Team captivated audiences with their technical, free and acrobatic routines to place ninth overall on 728.4358 points.

The team’s technical routine, inspired by a jungle adventure and set to Hans Zimmer's "Volcano," was meticulously executed. Scoring 235.9071 points and no base marks.

The team’s free routine, themed around the world of "Avatar" and set to music from "Avatar: The Way of Water," showcased a powerful and imaginative display that scored 280.5521 overall.

Their vibrant acrobatic routine, celebrating cheerleading with Alvaro Rodriguez Alvarez's "Move Your Body," demonstrated both enthusiasm and precision to earn a score of 211.9766.