Synchronised swimming

Lore & Background

Synchronised swimming has been part of the Summer Olympics program since 1984, featuring women's duet and team events. From 1984 through 1992, solo and duet competitions were held; in 1996 only team competition was featured, but the duet was restored in 2000. At the 2024 Olympic Games, men were included for the first time, and a team acrobatic routine round was added. The sport has been part of the World Aquatics Championships since 1973, with events evolving over time: solo, duet, and team competitions were joined by free combination in 2003, mixed duet in 2015, and men's solo in 2023.

Reader's Guide

Synchronised swimming is significant as a discipline that blends athleticism, artistry, and precise teamwork. Routines are composed of elements such as hybrids, acrobatics, and technical required elements, each with declared difficulty scores that affect final judging. The 2022 rule overhaul aimed to reduce subjectivity in judging, aligning the sport more closely with artistic gymnastics and figure skating. The 2017 renaming to 'artistic swimming' by FINA, under IOC instruction, has faced controversy and has not gained general acceptance beyond the core sport. The inclusion of men in Olympic team events from 2024 marks a notable expansion of participation. The sport's legacy includes its long history at the World Aquatics Championships and its evolution from demonstration to full Olympic status.

Did You Know?

• The first Olympic demonstration of artistic swimming was at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.
• From 2024, men are able to compete in the team event at the Olympics.
• In 2022, artistic-swimming rules were overhauled to reduce subjectivity in judging.
• The sport was renamed from 'synchronised swimming' to 'artistic swimming' in 2017 under IOC instruction.