The Aquatics Centre: an Olympic class complex for the people of Seine Saint Denis. The Olympic Aquatics Centre will host the world's top artistic swimmers, water-polo players and divers during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Diving into the elegance of synchronized movements in water, Olympic Artistic Swimming debuted for women in 1984, unveiling solo and duet events. The discipline expanded its aquatic canvas in 1988, embracing both men and women in team competitions. Over the years, this aquatic spectacle evolved within the Olympic framework, adapting its event formats to amplify the allure of synchronized motion.
The solo category gracefully exited the stage after 1996, leaving behind the harmonious duet and team performances. The dawn of the 2000 Sydney Olympics witnessed a metamorphosis, as the duet format seamlessly transitioned into the dynamic realm of team duets, enhancing both complexity and beauty within the routines. Notably, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked not just a change in the calendar but also a shift in nomenclature, rebranding from synchronized swimming to the more encompassing term artistic swimming, spotlighting its dual facets of artistry and athleticism.
In the aquatic realm of Olympic competition, Russia (inclusive of the Soviet Union era) and the United States have emerged as formidable powerhouses, consistently clinching the lion's share of medals. Renowned athletes, including Russia's Anastasia Davydova, Natalia Ishchenko, and Svetlana Romashina, and the United States' Tracie Ruiz and Kristen Babb-Sprague, have etched their names into the vibrant tapestry of the sport's Olympic legacy.
Looking ahead to the Summer Games 2024 in Paris, France, the artistic swimming competitions are poised to unfold at the Paris Aquatics Centre from 5 to 10 August. Unlike the previous edition, the number of participating swimmers across two events has been streamlined from 104 to 96, reflecting a nuanced adjustment in the pursuit of aquatic excellence.
Paris 2024 introduces significant changes to the artistic swimming program, aiming to fortify gender equality and foster diversity among nations in the qualifying process. On October 7, 2022, World Aquatics (formerly FINA) resoundingly embraced transformation, with nearly 99 percent of the votes supporting amendments to the artistic swimming rules from 2022 to 2025. These changes include redefining the composition of an eight-member team and specifying a maximum of two males within the team, ushering in a new era for this captivating aquatic discipline.