Dazzling Routine Sinks U.S. Team
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Sunday, August 24, 2008
BEIJING, Aug. 23 -- Stephan Miermont held this dream for his aquatic jewel: People were going to gasp at the marvels conceived by the U.S. synchronized swimming team's choreographer. They would leap from their seats when the Americans' freestyle routine was finished Saturday. Their applause was going to float to the Water Cube's translucent ceiling where it would linger harmoniously, like the sound of angels singing.
He was going to shock a sport that does not like surprises, tearing off the blinders of judges who search for perfection only in certain details.
And he would change synchronized swimming forever.
So here's what happened instead.
The United States was chosen to go first. It performed Miermont's vision almost flawlessly, avoiding every potential calamity. Its swimmers jumped with grace and pawed at the water with precision. Everyone did everything right.
Yet when it was done only the American fans leapt to their feet. The others clapped politely. Nobody wept. Nobody screamed. Nobody said synchronized swimming would never be the same.
Then the judges ruled: a 9.7, a 9.6 and a string of 9.5s. Combined with a fifth-place finish in the technical routine, these scores earned the United States fifth place overall with a cumulative total of 95.334.
Needless to say, the world did not change.
But Miermont did not despair.
"It's synchronized swimming," he said. "You cannot surprise. They don't judge what you're doing, they judge where you are from."
It was a not-so-subtle dig at what he and his swimmers see as the technically perfect but unimaginative routines performed by teams such as Russia, the reigning champion that blew though Saturday's freestyle competition with a row of 10.0s, earning a perfect 100.000 for the two-day event.
As in figure skating, going first is never a good thing in synchronized swimming. First means you are competing with the noise from fans still finding their seats. First means the judges are still working through their minds the kinds of things they will be looking for. And first also means the judges are probably not looking to give out too many 10.0s.
