The Paris 2024 Olympics is set to witness a significant milestone in artistic swimming, as male athletes will compete for the first time. This discipline, formerly known as synchronized swimming, includes both team and duet competitions and is renowned for its demanding routines that seamlessly blend acrobatics with music. The inaugural event of this thrilling sport will occur on Monday at the Olympic Aquatics Center, commencing at 1:30 p.m. ET.

In this Olympic cycle, the team competition will showcase three distinct routines: the technical routine, the free routine, and the newly introduced acrobatic routine. The duet event will consist of a technical routine and a free routine, marking an exciting evolution in the sport. Notably, the United States will perform seventh out of ten nations in the technical routine, using the music of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” as reported by NBC Olympics.

Artistic swimming demands considerable skill, including flexibility, meticulous attention to detail, and exceptional coordination, all of which are rigorously trained for hours on end. According to two-time Olympian Anita Alvarez, “We are training eight-plus hours a day, treading water all day. You must remain aware of your timing as it relates to the music, keep track of your patterns, and maintain positions without the aid of goggles. You are effectively holding your breath, which adds to the complexity of the performance.”

The schedule for the artistic swimming events is as follows:
– **August 5**: Team technical routine from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
– **August 6**: Team free routine from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
– **August 7**: Team acrobatic routine from 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
– **August 9**: Duet technical routine from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
– **August 10**: Duet free routine from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Artistic swimming has been an Olympic event since its inception at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, with participation historically restricted to female athletes. A pivotal change occurred in 2022 when governing bodies altered regulations to permit the inclusion of up to two male athletes per nation in the team competition. While no male athletes have been designated for representation in Paris, this alteration marks a significant step forward for gender inclusion in aquatic sports.

Historically, North American nations, particularly the United States and Canada, have excelled in artistic swimming. However, since 2000, Russia has dominated this discipline, securing gold medals in both team and duet competitions. A crucial development leading to a break in this streak is the International Olympic Committee’s decision excluding Russian participation due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.

The 2024 Paris Olympics will therefore mark a groundbreaking chapter in the evolution of artistic swimming, with the United States competing in both duet and team events for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games. Fans may watch the performances live on Peacock, or stream the events on nbcolympics.com, ensuring that they do not miss this historic occasion.

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