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Artistic swimming is performed solo, in duets, trios or a team. It demands advanced water skills, and requires great strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, as well as exceptional breath control when upside down underwater.

Artistic Swimming

Artistic swimming is an Olympic sport often described as “dance in the water”, its development from water ballet started when Australian Annettee Kellerman performed in a glass tank at the New York Hippodrome in 1907. It was known as Synchronised Swimming previously.

Training sessions are devoted to working on “figures” (also known as moves) – the set of body positions and transition movement which form the basis of artistic swimming. Land work sessions include flexibility, strength, and weight training, and creating, walking through and learning routines.

Today, Artistic Swimming has also evolved to become the epitome of diligence, dedication, esprit de corps, perseverance, and a can-do attitude of all our national players.

The pool where artistic swimming takes place must be at least 3m deep over a 12x12m area in the centre of the pool. A clip on the swimmer’s nose, which prevents an intake of water through the nostrils, makes it possible for the athlete to stay underwater longer; the use of hair gelatine and make-up helps hair to stay in place and highlights the athletes’ features respectively; underwater speakers transmit the music into the pool, helping the swimmers to keep their synchronisation while under water.

Artistic Swimming was first introduced in the Olympics in 1984. The USA, Canada and Russia have all claimed gold while Japan and France have shared in silver and bronze medals. It is one of only three Olympic disciplines in which only women are allowed to compete (the other two being Rhythmic gymnastics and Softball).Artistic swimming is also now accepted internationally as a spectator sport, being one of the first events to sell out at the Olympic Games.

Judging of Artistic Swimming

For open event artistic swimming competition, swimmer(s) need to perform 2 type of routines, namely Technical and Free routine and the total score determine the winner.

For Technical Routine, predetermined elements must be executed in a particular order. It will be judged by 3 panels of judges on the following:

Panel ONE – EXECUTION Score – 30%

  • EXECUTION – the level of excellence in performing highly specialised skills. Execution of all movements that do not have an assigned degree of difficulty.
  • SYNCHRONISATION – the precision of in unison, one with the other, and the accompaniment above, at and below the surface. Synchronisation of timing of one with another and with music.

Panel TWO – IMPRESSIONS Score – 30%

  • DIFFICULTY – the quality of being hard to achieve. Difficulty of all movements that do not have an assigned degree of difficulty and of synchronisation.
  • CHOREOGRAPHY – the creative skill of composing a routine that combines artistic and technical elements. The design and weaving together of variety and creativity of all movements.
  • MUSIC INTERPRETATION – expressing the mood of the music, use of the music’s structure.
  • MANNER OF PRESENTATION – the manner in which the swimmer(s) present(s) the routine to the viewers. The total command of the performance of the routine.

Panel THREE – ELEMENTS Score – 40%

  • EXECUTION – the level of excellence in performing highly specialised skills. Execution of each required element with an assigned degree of difficulty

For Free Routine, it has no requirements and shows the team’s creativity, innovation, and strength. It will be judged by 3 panels of judges on the following :

Panel ONE – EXECUTION Score – 30%

  • EXECUTION – the level of excellence in performing highly specialised skills. Execution of all movements.
  • SYNCHRONISATION – the precision of movement in unison, one withthe other, and the accompaniment above, at and below the surface. Synchronisation of timing of one with another and with music.

Panel TWO – ARTISTIC IMPRESSIONS Score – 40%

  • CHOREOGRAPHY – the creative skill of composing a routine that combines artistic and technical elements. The design and weaving together of variety and creativity of all movements.
  • MUSIC INTERPRETATION – expressing the mood of the music, use of the music’s
  • MANNER OF PRESENTATION – the manner in which the swimmer(s) present(s) the routine to the viewers. The total command of the performance of the routine.

Panel THREE – DIFFICULTY Score – 30%

  • DIFFICULTY – the quality of being hard to achieve. Difficulty of all movements and of synchronization.

For more details, refer to FINA Artistic Swimming Rules 2017-2021 https://www.fina.org/artistic-swimming/rules