(Reuters) – The 2020 Tokyo Olympics includes 33 sports. Artistic swimming, previously synchronized swimming, is one of the aquatic events.
Here are some key facts about artistic swimming at the Olympics.
Introduced: Artistic swimming was added to the Olympic programme in 1984.
Events: Artistic swimming is one of two women’s-only events and features a duet and a team competition with eight swimmers.
Swimmers in both events complete a “free” routine and a “technical” routine, with judges scoring them from 0-100. The duet and team combined final scores determine the winner.
Rules: Each routine can last from 2-1/2 to five minutes and is set to music playing above and below the water.
Swimmers must not touch the sides or bottom of the pool.
Technique: Once known as “water ballet,” artistic swimming is judged not only on skill and athleticism but grace and style. The degree of difficulty in a routine also affects the scoring.
In duet and team competition, swimmers move in tandem with each other to create acrobatic patterns and execute lifts.
Top countries: Russia is the world leader in the sport, winning nine gold medals at the last world championships.
Russian athletes have won gold in the duet and team competitions at the last five Olympics.
Graphic: Artistic Swimming – https://graphics.reuters.com/OLYMPICS-2020-SWIMMING/0100B5CW3ER/ARTISTIC…
Sources: International Olympic Committee, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Swim England, FINA
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Ken Ferris)
