Today is the start of the Artistic Swimming Olympics 2024. This is a big change from previous games because guys can now compete.
Up to two guys can compete in the eight-athlete team event, but not in the two-athlete duet event.
This is because of new rules the International Olympic Committee put in place in December 2022.
There isn’t a single male swimmer among the 96 athletes from 18 countries participating, so the effect of this rule change might not be seen during the competitions.
What is Artistic Swimming?
Artistic swimming, which was formerly known as synchronized swimming until it was renamed in 2017, has a rich and complex history regarding male participation.
Initially popularized in the United States in the early 20th century, men played a significant role in the sport’s early days.
However, over time, their involvement waned due to physical differences: men were generally heavier, less flexible—making leg extensions more challenging—and less buoyant compared to their female peers.
How does Olympic artistic swimming work?
Artistic swimming, often referred to as synchronized swimming and overseen by World Aquatics, combines water acrobatics with music.
Athletes execute choreographed routines that sometimes involve dramatic leaps out of the water.
At the Olympics, the sport features two main events: duet and team competitions, each comprising both a free routine and a technical routine.
Competitors are evaluated on execution, synchronization, difficulty, music, and choreography, making it a blend of gymnastics and swimming.
For the 2024 Paris Olympics, a new rule allows up to two men to participate in the team competition.
What’s the international landscape in Olympic artistic swimming?
When artistic swimming was introduced to the Olympics in 1984, Team USA and Canada were the dominant forces.
However, since the turn of the 21st century, Russia has set the standard, winning both events at the last six Games.
As the Paris Olympics approach, China is leading the World Aquatics rankings in multiple categories, but Spain, Great Britain, and the Netherlands also hold top positions and are strong contenders.
When did artistic swimming become an Olympic sport?
Artistic swimming made its Olympic debut at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, traditionally featuring only female competitors.
For the upcoming 2024 Paris Games, a historic change will allow men to participate for the first time.
Despite this significant shift, NBC Sports reports that no men have been selected for the team rosters.
American swimmer Bill May, 45, had been hopeful that his Olympic dream would come true in Paris, but he was not chosen for the Team USA roster announced in June.
The selected eight women will be participating in a new acrobatic routine, added to this year’s program alongside the traditional technical and free routines.
The competition will also feature a revamped scoring system that evaluates both execution and artistic impression.
Coaches are required to submit a detailed card outlining the routine so judges can assign a difficulty score. Deviations from the card or mistakes in the routine will result in lower scores.
Six medals are up for grabs, with China being a top contender for gold in both duet and team events, having established itself as a “dominant force” in recent years, according to the Olympics website.
Japan, the US, Spain, and Ukraine are also teams to watch, while Mexico will make its debut in artistic swimming at the Olympics.
The competition is scheduled from August 5 to August 10, with medals awarded on August 7 for the team events and on August 10 for the duets.
Who are the top Team USA athletes in artistic swimming?
Anita Alvarez, 27, from Santa Monica, California, competed in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, achieving ninth and 13th place in duet competitions respectively. She has the potential to become the first American artistic swimmer to compete in three Olympic Games.
Megumi Field, 18, from Wilmington, Delaware, secured a bronze medal in the technical team event at the 2023 World Championships and another bronze in the free team event at the 2024 World Championships. She is set to join Stanford’s swim team following the Paris Games.
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