The synchronized swimming competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics begins today. There will be a big change compared to previous Olympics, and for the first time, men will be able to participate. A rule change announced by the International Olympic Committee in December 2022 will allow up to two men to compete in team events with eight athletes, but not in duet events with two athletes.
However, even the most careful observer would not notice this change, as not a single man was selected among the 96 athletes from 18 countries who participated in the pool.
Synchronized swimming, known as synchronized swimming before its name change in 2017, has a long and complicated history when it comes to male participation. The sport grew in popularity in the United States in the first half of the 20th century, with men playing a significant role in the early days. However, it was later discovered that male participants were unfit for the sport due to certain physical characteristics. Men are heavier, less flexible, have more difficulty straightening their legs, and have less buoyancy than women.
When synchronized swimming was first added to the Olympic Games in 1984, only women were allowed to compete. And it has remained that way for 40 years, until now.
artistic swimming olympics 2024
US swimmer Bill May, 45, had hoped that his Olympic dream would finally come true in Paris, but he was ultimately not selected for the US team announced in June.
The eight selected women will also take part in an acrobatic practice, a new event added to this year’s program alongside technical and free skating. Another change is an updated scoring system that awards points based on execution.
And artistic impression.
Coaches must provide cards detailing their exercises so judges can assess their difficulty. If the exercises do not match the cards or contain errors, the athletes will be demoted.
Artistic swimming olympics in Paris
A total of six medals are up for grabs, and China, which has emerged as a “dominant powerhouse” in recent years, is one of the favorites for gold in both the duet and team events, according to the Olympic website.
Japan, the United States, Spain and Ukraine are also among the noteworthy teams, and Mexico will be making its Olympic debut in synchronized swimming.
The tournament will run from August 5 to 10, with medal days on August 7 for the team events and August 10 for the duet events.