LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Lara Mechnig, an artistic swimmer who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics representing Liechtenstein, has been performing in Cirque du Soleil’s “O” on the Las Vegas Strip for about 10 months.
Mechnig and her duet partner were the first artistic swimmers from Liechtenstein — a small country between Switzerland and Austria — to qualify for the Olympic Games, doing so despite doubters who said they would not make it.
Mechnig said she fell in love with synchronized swimming after watching a local club’s Christmas show as a child and has been in the sport for about 20 years.
She moved to Las Vegas last September and said she enjoys the desert hikes and the energy of a city that is “always alive.” She called Las Vegas the right place to celebrate women athletes during this weekend’s “SHE” events.
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Spotlighting women in sports
Mechnig said spotlighting female athletes is long overdue, noting there is still a voice in society that says strength is only for men. She said she hopes the “She Got Game” event shows young girls they can do anything, and that sports offer a healthier goal than social media ideals.
“Girls can do whatever they want… strong is beautiful… and anything is possible,” Mechnig said.
She also said sports and shows like “O” build a sense of community — comparing the bond among her castmates to the Olympic Village — and called the group a tight-knit family creating one piece of art together.
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