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paintballimpact.com / Sports / Synchronized Swimming, Judging
Synchronized Swimming: The Competition and Judging
Synchronized swimming first became an official Olympic event in 1984, in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Synchronized swimming events have three types of competition: solo, duet, and team. Like in other sports such as ocean surfing, water skiing, and figure skating, athletes are scored based on the execution of their routine, and an artistic performance and creativity. Like in sports such as in-line skating, skateboarding and diving, synchronized technical excellence and artistic elements of their routine. In these events, individuals or groups have their scores totaled from two routines, a technical routine, and a free routine. The athlete, duet, or team with the highest total at the end of the event wins the event. The pool of the synchronized swimming event is 30 meters long, by 20 meters wide, and has a depth of up to three meters. In this article, we will take a look at synchronized swimming, the competition and judging.
Judges and Officials. There are several judges, timekeepers, and other officials who work together to score the routines, subtract points, and keep times. The entire event is led by the Meet referee, who makes sure that the competition runs smoothly and that the FINA rules are respected, and she imposes penalties. FINA, or the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur is a body who runs aquatic sports that include swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, apnea free diving, and diving. Three technical monitors watch the technical routine to make sure that the figures are in order and conform to the FINA Manual. Ten judges mark each program: five give a technical mark and five give an artistic mark. They are placed two by two (one artistic and one technical) on both sides of the long end of the pool. Scores from the 10 judges are entered into a computer keyboard and a digital scoreboard displays all individual and team totals. The assistant referee checks the placement of the swimmers and signals the start of their programs.
In addition to the judges, there are several assistants responsible for the equipment and timing of these events. The sound technician starts the music for all programs. The announcer introduces the competitors and announces the judge's mark. Three timekeepers time the routines and the deck work. A maximum of 10 seconds of deck work (movements on the edge of the pool is allowed. Two assistants compile the marks submitted by the judges and calculate the cumulative scores. Speakers are placed in the pool under the surface of the water so that the simmers can keep time to their music.
The Athlete and Their Equipment. Synchronized Swimming is performed exclusively by women, who are both strong, graceful, and possess an innate ability to synchronize difficult athletic movements with other swimmers. Female athletes in this event wear a plain swimsuit. The hair is tied back with gelatin so that it does not get in the swimmer's way. The female athletes in this event wear either a nose clip or gelatin plugs that seal off the nostrils. If water reaches the sinuses while the athlete is performing, it could disrupt her routine, and lower her performance.
Synchronized Swimming and paintball are both sports that have features women in championship level events. Some past Synchronized Swimming Championship Athletes have included Sylvie Frechette from Canada and Olga Sedakova from Russia.
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