The artistic swimming competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is about to begin with one significant difference from previous editions: men are now permitted to compete. However, out of the 96 competitors from 18 nations scheduled to compete in the pool, not a single man has been chosen to participate.
History of males in artistic swimming
When it comes to male participation, artistic swimming—known as synchronized swimming until a name change in 2017—has a complicated and lengthy history. In the early years of the sport’s popularity in the United States during the first half of the 20th century, men were important participants.
Male competitors, however, were later perceived as being at odds with the sport because of certain physical traits: they were bulkier, less flexible than female competitors, making leg extensions more difficult, and less buoyant.
For instance, Bill May, a 45-year-old American swimmer, had dreamed of competing in the Olympics in Paris for a long time, but he was not chosen for the final Team USA roster that was revealed in June.
What to expect in this year’s Games?
In addition to technical and free routines, an acrobatic routine has been added to this year’s schedule, and the swimmers who qualified will participate in it. Moreover, a revised scoring system that determines points based on artistic impression and execution is another modification.
For judges to rate the complexity of the routine, coaches must turn in a card including the routine’s information. An inaccuracy or a routine that doesn’t match the card will result in a deduction for the athletes.
A total of six medals are up for grabs, and China is one of the favourites to win both the gold in the team and duet competitions after becoming a dominant player in recent years.
Source: CNN