In 2022, World Aquatics announced that men would finally be allowed to compete in artistic (synchronized) swimming at the Olympic level. However, this landmark decision doesn’t seem to have influenced the 10 countries sending artistic swimming teams to Paris.
None of the teams competing in artistic swimming have selected a man for the team. It will be an all-women event once again, as it has been since synchronized swimming made its Olympic debut in 1984.
There are two components to artistic swimming at the Olympics: a free routine and a technical routine. The teams are scored on synchronization, choreography, and execution. Athletes rely on flexibility, coordination, and power to master these routines.
“We understand that it was always going to be a challenge for men to earn a spot on a team in time for Paris 2024, considering that their eligibility was only confirmed 18 months ago, but we were still hopeful that some would succeed,” the global federation said in a statement.
In a world where sports fans are used to the opposite struggle, that of women being left a team roster, this headline may sound like a story from The Twilight Zone. But, men like Bill May have been fighting for this opportunity for their whole lives.
May, an elite artistic swimmer, has competed at the World Aquatics Championships, helping the U.S. team to win silver in 2023. In doing so, May became the first American man to stand on the medal podium for an artistic swimming team event. Men have been permitted to compete at the championships since 2015. May, now 45, has been competing in the sport since he was a child, and it is his dream to see men competing in artistic swimming at the Olympic level.
“Every day I think about the Olympics and I think about being there with our coaches and our teammates. It’s such a dream,” said May.
With the new opportunity for men to join the artistic swimming team, rhythmic gymnastics is left as the final women-only event at the Olympics.
The 2024 Olympics kick off in Paris on July 26, 2024. The artistic swimming competition will begin on August 5, 2024.
