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The artistic swimming events were organized, from August 5, 2024 to August 10, 2024. There were two medal events: the women’s duet and the mixed team. In the year 2024, the mixed team event featured a historic change, allowing a maximum of two male athletes per team, with the team event including a new acrobatic routine for the first time, though no male athletes were selected to compete this time around.
Artistic swimming Olympics winners – China, Japan, and the United States were among the top contenders, China captured its first-ever Olympic gold medal in the artistic swimming team event. Team USA captured the silver and Spain finished third.
Artistic swimming Olympics winners
Artistic Swimming Team Event Final Results (Total Points)
Gold: China (996.1389)
Silver: United States (914.3421)
Bronze: Spain (900.7319)
4. France (886.6487)
5. Japan (880.6841)
6. Canada (859.2229)
7. Mexico (853.7932)
8. Italy (845.9670)
9. Australia (728.4358)
10. Egypt (705.9814)
Artistic Swimming Duet Final Event Results (Total Points)
Gold: China (566.4783), Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi
Silver: Great Britain (558.5367), Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe
Bronze: Netherlands (558.3963), Bregje and Noortje de Brouwer
4. Austria (555.6678), Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina Alexandri
5. Ukraine (538.6684), Maryna and Vladyslava Aleksiiva
6. Greece (532.3002), Sofia Evangelia Malkogeorgou and Evangelia Platanioti
7. Spain (521.4837), Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin and Iris Tio Casas
8. Japan (507.0804), Moe Higa and Tomoka Sato
9. Canada (492.4270), Audrey Lamothe and Jacqueline Simoneau
10. USA (484.7488), Jaime Czarkowski and Megumi Field
From olympics.com
https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-artistic-swimming-duet-china-gold
https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-artistic-swimming-china-team-gold
US Team Performance to Michael Jackson
The events took place from August 5 to August 10, with medals being awarded on August 7 for the team competition and August 10 for the duets. For those interested in watching, live streaming was available on Peacock, nbcolympics.com and NBC, with full schedules and replays accessible through these platforms.
That was all about Artistic swimming Olympics winners, let’s explore about the history of Artistic or Synchronized Swimming
Artistic swimming, previously known as synchronized swimming, has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Synchronized swimming was included as a demonstration sport at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. The sport achieved full Olympic status at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, with competitions in solo and duet events. The team event was added at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, replacing the solo event. The duet event was retained. Russia has been a dominant force in artistic swimming, winning gold medals in both duet and team events at every Olympics from 2000 to 2016. Due to geopolitical reasons, Russia was not allowed to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics, making the competition more open.
Besides the Olympics, the FINA World Championships are a major event in artistic swimming, featuring top athletes and teams from around the world. Athletes like Esther Williams, Olga Brusnikina, and Anastasia Davydova have made significant contributions to the sport, pushing its boundaries and achieving remarkable successes.
Origins: The sport evolved from water ballet, which was popular in Europe and the United States in the late 19th century. The first recorded competitions were held in the early 20th century.
First Clubs and Competitions: The first synchronized swimming club was founded in Berlin in 1891. The sport gained popularity in North America, with exhibitions and competitions being held in the United States and Canada by the 1920s.
Popularization: A major figure in popularizing the sport was Esther Williams, a competitive swimmer turned Hollywood actress. She starred in several “aquamusical” films in the 1940s and 1950s that showcased synchronized swimming, bringing it to a wider audience.
Formalization of Rules: The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) recognized synchronized swimming in 1941, and the first U.S. national championships were held in 1946. The International Swimming Federation (FINA) officially recognized the sport in 1952.
Name Change: In 2017, FINA renamed synchronized swimming to “artistic swimming” to better reflect the artistry and athleticism of the sport.
Scoring and Format Changes: The sport has undergone changes to its scoring system to reduce subjectivity, similar to changes in figure skating, with required elements and fixed degrees of difficulty.
Other swimming sport info and news
World Aquatics Uprises & Record Breakers – Under its new identity (formerly FINA), World Aquatics has streamlined its calendar to focus on fewer but more impactful events—like cutting its World Cup tour to three key stops, but hosting the World Championships annually through at least 2025. 2023 saw athletes shatter 16 world records, including one in a mixed relay and several short-course marks—proof that world-class competition is alive and roaring.
Swimming World Cup Touring Asia – Looking ahead to late 2024, the Swimming World Cup will be lighting up three Asian cities—Shanghai, Incheon, and Singapore—over three back-to-back weekends in October and November. These high-energy short-course meets double as qualifiers for the Budapest 2024 Championships, with a whopping prize purse fueling the excitement.
Doha 2024: Records & Rising Stars – Doha’s recent Championships delivered plenty of fireworks. In the pool, Pan Zhanle dropped a world record in the 100 m freestyle (46.80). Sarah Sjöström continued her dominance, clinching her 13th and 14th individual world titles in the 50 m races. Open-water fans cheered as Sharon van Rouwendaal claimed both the 5 km and 10 km events—and Australia grabbed the Mixed 4×1500 m relay in a photo-finish thriller.
Fairer Freestyle: The Lochte Rule Adjusted – There’s now a bit of wiggle room in medley rules. Previously, swimmers had to stay fully on their breaststroke during the freestyle segment of medley races (previously known as the Lochte Rule), but now they can roll onto their back during turns—so long as they return to the breast position before resuming any stroke or kick. It’s a smoother, more realistic step forward
Masters Swimming Gets a Makeover – The Masters circuit isn’t getting left behind either. Effective December 2023, new rules standardize how races start (with the “ready” signal), expand the use of mixed-gender relays, and introduce age-group relays based on combined team ages. Open-water Masters events also now require visible swim caps, set temperature limits, and even make wetsuits mandatory in colder waters—making the sport safer and fairer for all ages.
From record-breaking speed to rule tweaks that make races fairer and safer, these developments fuel both the thrill and integrity of swimming. Whether you’re tracking elite competitions or cheering on grassroots swim clubs, the currents of change are on our side—and trust me, the best is yet to come.
Some info about recent changes and news in Olympics and Sports
Breaking out on the big stage — Breakdancing, or “breaking,” made its dazzling Olympic debut in Paris 2024, injecting pure energy and youth into the Games.
Sport reshuffles — Karate, baseball, and softball were dropped for Paris; however, boxing got a fresh boost with a new women’s weight class (and fewer men’s categories), while canoe slalom welcomed the chaotic thrill of kayak cross.
New race formats & gender moves — A mixed marathon race-walk relay replaced the 50 km classic, gender equity was front and center with artistic swimming now allowing men, and track races (200–1500 m) introduced a repechage round for second-chance excitement.
Scoring fairness in shimmering art — Artistic swimming ditched its old scoring for a modern system that blends technical difficulty and style—paving the way for more objectivity, especially after Russia’s absence shook up the competition.
Winter 2026 & Other Forward Leaps
Fresh medal fanfare — The Milano Cortina Games will expand with sexy events like dual moguls, large hill ski jumping for women, alpine team combined, and a mixed relay in skeleton. Plus, women will race the same distances as men in cross-country skiing for the first time.
Global Game Tweaks & Safety First
Rugby’s Captain’s Challenge hits the field — Rugby league’s 2025 season introduces “Captain’s Challenges” for teams to contest referee calls on the spot, along with a revamped points-based disciplinary system and updated drop-out rules—keeping the game tight and fair.
Tackle rules saving heads — Ireland’s rugby union decided to keep a lower tackle height after seeing safer play and fewer head injuries during trials—a heartening shift toward protecting players.
Cricket’s fresh face-up — The ICC has refined the two-ball rule in ODIs and toughened concussion substitute protocols, reinforcing fairness while safeguarding players’ health.
Golf’s Doors Swing Open
Will LIV gain access? The Olympic golf scene might change ahead of LA 2028, as the IGF explores tweaks to qualification criteria—potentially welcoming previously sidelined LIV players into the fold.
Get ready for a major upgrade at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics! The lineup expands to 36 sports, adding fan favorites like flag football and squash, both making their Olympic debut. Plus, cricket, lacrosse, and baseball/softball return—with cricket and lacrosse not seen in decades—and skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing move from optional entries to permanent fixtures. It’s a bold leap into inclusivity and modern flair.
Boxing’s Comeback with a Twist – After governance issues sidelined boxing for past Games, World Boxing—a fresh governing body—now ensures the sport will be back in LA in 2028. This includes a new women’s weight class to promote parity, pushing the total to 14 medal events.
Science Meets Policy: Fairness at the Forefront – New IOC President Kirsty Coventry isn’t messing around. She’s launching a task force packed with scientists and international sport groups to craft sport-specific eligibility rules—especially around transgender athletes and those with differences of sexual development. And importantly, she ruled out rewriting history: past results, including Paris 2024, stand as is.
U.S. Takes a Controversial Turn – Stateside, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee has enacted federal mandates that ban transgender women from competing in women’s categories, stirring significant debate. Advocacy groups have criticized this move, calling it politically driven and harmful to athlete rights.
Setting the Stage for LA 2028: High-Level Prep in Motion – President Trump has launched a White House task force to oversee LA28’s security, transportation, and logistics, pledging $1 billion in federal support. This team aims to make LA 2028 slick, safe, and spectacular.
Home-Grown Governance: India Makes Waves – Back in India, a landmark moment: the Lok Sabha passed the National Sports Governance Bill on August 11, 2025. Championed as the most significant reform in Indian sports since independence, it promises greater transparency, streamlined administration, and the flexibility needed for India’s future Olympic ambitions.
Making Waves: The Stories Behind Today’s Swimming Scene
Open Water Relays – The Ocean’s High-Speed Chess Game
Open water relays aren’t just about speed — they’re about timing, teamwork, and reading the water like a map. In the Mixed 4×1500 m relay at Doha 2024, the Australian team pulled off a last-leg miracle, overtaking Italy in the final meters. Imagine the exhaustion after 1.5 km in choppy, unpredictable seas — now multiply that by four swimmers relying on each other’s pacing. The win wasn’t just a medal moment; it was a masterclass in strategic drafting and wave riding.
Masters Swimming – The Age-Defying Revolution
Competitive swimming used to be seen as a young person’s game. Not anymore. The Masters circuit is exploding with participation from swimmers in their 30s to their 90s — and they’re fast. World Aquatics just introduced rules to make it even more exciting:
- Mixed-gender relays now have more age brackets, so teams can be formed more creatively.
- Starts are standardized with a clear “ready” signal, helping keep competition fair for everyone.
- Open-water Masters events now require visible caps and wetsuits in colder waters, making races safer and more inclusive.
At the last Masters Worlds, the oldest swimmer to compete was 97 years old — and he didn’t just finish his race, he beat people decades younger. That’s the spirit.
When Pan Zhanle hit the wall at 46.80 in the 100 m freestyle in Doha, the pool erupted. Not just because he broke the world record, but because it was the kind of swim where you knew halfway through something special was happening. The underwater kicks were sharp, his turn was textbook, and he just never faded.
Then there’s Sarah Sjöström, who now owns 14 individual world titles. She’s the kind of athlete who doesn’t just win — she intimidates. Competitors literally watch her warm up to guess what pace she might hit in the final.
The Rule Tweaks You Might Not Notice, But Swimmers Do
The “Lochte Rule” adjustment sounds tiny — allowing medley swimmers to rotate onto their backs during turns — but to elite swimmers, it’s a game-changer. Turns are where races are won or lost, and even the smallest allowance in movement can mean shaving off tenths of a second. In a sport where margins are razor-thin, that’s massive.
From fresh sports breaking into the mainstream to pivotal governance changes, the Olympic landscape is transforming. The Games are evolving—not just as a showcase of physical excellence, but as a battleground for equity, inclusivity, and modernization. Whether you’re cheering from the stands or following on screen, the next chapter promises to be one of the most electrifying yet.
From gravity-defying performances in breaking to gender-equal race-walking relays, from athlete safety upgrades to expanding opportunities—all across summer and winter arenas—sports are embracing change with a bold, modern energy. It’s a thrilling time to be a fan.
