Synchronised Swimming

Synchronised Swimming 

Synchronised swimming is an Olympic sport that connects swimming, dance and gymnastics, it consists of a group of swimmers performing a synchronised dance whether that's altogether or as solos.  The routines involve teamwork, synchronisation and are choreographed often with a theme in mind or to the music chosen.

The routines performed can go from two and half minutes to five depending on the amount of people involved in the routine. As sometimes the swimmers are underwater there are speakers underneath which are connected to the main system above the water, meaning that the dancers can still hear the music beneath the water so they can keep in time with each other and the song. 

To become a successful synchronised swimmer you must have strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, precise timing and synchronisation so you are able to keep in time with each other and the music being played. 

Berlin hosted one of the first synchronised swimming competitions in  1891 London than followed in 1892 but was known as 'water ballet'. In the beginning men were only allowed to compete however it was than thought that the sport was more equipped for women.  

On the other hand now, synchronised swimming is considered a very feminine sport, there aren't a lot of males in the sport, however mixed pair synchronised swimmers has been recognised and allowed to compete in competition but males are still banned from competing in the Olympics

In the Olympic games the swimmers perform two routines for the judges, one technical and one free, as well as age group routines and figures.


An Australian women named Annette Kellerman performed a ballet routine in a glass tank underwater  at the Hippodrome in New York, this is what really made the sport popular recognised by more people. 
Katherine Curtis was inspired by this, and started experimenting with various diving actions and stunts in the water, and "set up a water ballet club at the University of Chicago". (British Swimming. 2018)

Synchronised swimming was first part of the Olympic demonstration sport at the 1952 games, however it did not become official until the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.


References: 

British Swimming. 2018. History of Synchro. [online] Available at: https://www.britishswimming.org/browse-sport/synchronised-swimming/learn-more-about-synchro/history-synchro/. [Accessed 19 June 2018].