For the first time in Olympic history, men have been permitted to participate in artistic swimming teams for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Under rule changes announced by the International Olympic Committee in December 2022, a maximum of two men can form part of the eight-athlete team event, but not the two-athlete duet event.
However, not even the most eagle-eyed observer would spot this change, as not a single man has been selected among the 96 athletes from 18 countries set to battle it out in the pool.
Bill May has previously competed for the United States at the World Championships in artistic swimming.
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Artistic swimming, formerly called synchronized swimming until its renaming in 2017, possesses a complex history regarding male involvement. The sport gained popularity in the United States during the early 20th century, where initially, men had a significant presence.
However, male competitors were later seen to be at odds with the sport due to certain physical characteristics: They were heavier, less flexible – finding leg extensions more difficult – and less buoyant than their female counterparts.
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When artistic swimming was first added to the Olympics in 1984, only women were allowed to compete. And this is how it remained for 40 years – until now. One American swimmer, 45-year-old Bill may, had hoped his Olympic dream would finally be realized in Paris, but he was not ultimately selected for the Team USA squad announced in June.
Coaches are required to submit a card detailing the routine so judges can determine a difficulty score. If the routine deviates from the card or contains errors, the athletes’ scores will be reduced.
Teams from Japan, the US, Spain, and Ukraine are also contenders, while Mexico is set to make its Olympic debut in artistic swimming.
The event is scheduled from August 5 to August 10, with the team competition medals being awarded on August 7 and the duet medals on August 10.
