Dive into Olympic Artistic Swimming: A Beginner’s Guide

SAINT-DENIS, France — A detailed guide on artistic swimming at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been released.

Why aren’t men competing in artistic swimming for the 2024 Olympics?

This year, men were eligible to compete in the team event for the first time. However, no men were selected for any of the eight-member teams. Despite being allowed to compete at lower levels for several years, no male athletes made the cut.

Swimming’s world governing body, World Aquatics, expressed disappointment over the lack of male participants, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to broaden the sport’s appeal.

What countries are favored to win in Paris?

Russian athletes, who have historically dominated by winning all gold medals since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will not participate in artistic swimming this time due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Consequently, the competition is more open, with China emerging as a likely favorite.

Is artistic swimming the same as synchronized swimming?

Previously known as synchronized swimming, the sport was rebranded to artistic swimming in 2017 to attract a broader audience. However, the term “synchro” is still commonly used by many swimmers.

How else has artistic swimming changed over the years?

The sport has evolved to become significantly more physical, particularly in team acrobatic routines. Endurance and breath control are crucial, with tricks becoming riskier and throws higher. These advancements have led to an increased risk of injuries like bruises and concussions.

Swimmers must avoid touching the pool’s bottom, as doing so results in point deductions. Despite these changes, the use of gelatin-thick hair and makeup remains, accompanied by the ever-present smiles when athletes surface.

How does scoring work for artistic swimming?

Judges evaluate performances based on technical merit and artistic impression. The highest and lowest scores are discarded, and the remaining scores are averaged. Technical merit focuses on execution, synchronization, and difficulty, while artistic impression centers on musical interpretation, choreography, and presentation.

How can I watch artistic swimming at the Olympics?

Artistic swimming events will take place from Aug. 5-10, starting at 5:30 p.m. CEST (11:30 a.m. EDT) daily. The team medal event is scheduled for Aug. 7, with the duet final on Aug. 10. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the events on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform.