Teams Make Olympic Debut
New Event for 1996
For the first time in history, the team event, synchronized swimming's premier competition, will be making its Olympic debut in Atlanta. The team competition features eight women in the water at one time and is the most difficult of the three disciplines—solo, duet and team. Performing in nine feet of water and without touching the bottom, routines incorporate acrobatic elements, lifts that raise swimmers above the water surface and precise, synchronized movements.
Although team competition has been a part of all major national and international competitions for many decades, it wasn't easy getting it included in the Olympic Games. Synchro's original intention was to always have teams as part of the Olympic format. When synchro first became an Olympic sport in 1984, the International Olympic Committee decided only to include duet, but quickly added solo as well. Synchro enthusiasts felt so strongly about the event, that in 1991 they offered to make a trade with the IOC—replace solo and duet with teams.
Many people still hope that solo and duet will once again be included in the Olympics along with teams, however, the response for teams has been overwhelmingly positive, with the old, three-member athlete delegation now expanded to 10 athletes.
Olympic Competition Overview
At the 1996 Games, the team competition will include two events, the technical routine program and the free routine program. The compulsory figures event, which was part of the Olympic Games since 1984, will no longer be held.
Similar to figure skating, the technical routine requires entries to perform a series of required elements in prescribed order. It has a time limit of two minutes and 50 seconds. Music selection and limited choreography is up to the discretion of each team.
In the free routine, there are no specifications for the routine other than the five-minute time limit. Each entry is free to attempt the most daring of moves and choreography to any theme they desire. Anything goes, and teams will attempt to show the most difficult movements they can execute.
In both the technical and free routines, a panel of 10 judges (five giving scores for technical merit and five awarding scores for artistic impression) will award points from 0 to 10 in one tenth point increments.
Technical merit is based on execution, synchronization and difficulty. Artistic impression is based on choreography, music interpretation and manner of presentation. (See Judging and Scoring Synchronized Swimming).
Once the technical merit and artistic impression scores are calculated for a total score, the technical routine score is weighted to 35 percent and the free routine to 65 percent. These two scores are then added together to determine overall medal placement.
The Road to Team USA
Athletes qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials based on their participation at the 1995 National Team Selection Camp and through placement at the 1995 Jantzen Nationals and 1995 U.S. Collegiate Championships. Any member of the U.S. National Team during the current Olympic quadrennium was also eligible.
The Olympic Trials were a two-step process, with all eligible athletes participating in Phase I and the top 16 athletes advancing to Phase II. Swimmers learned and then performed the same two routines (technical and free routines) individually and in groups. A panel of five judges awarded points from 0-10 based on a set criteria.
Olympic Preparation
Following a two-week break after the trials, the United States team began training on October 31, 1995. The majority of the team's training is done in the bay area of northern California. With nine of the ten athletes from the area, this makes for an ideal training location.
Once a month, the team leaves the area for an intense training session where they can work on their routines without the distractions of home life. The environment also helps build team unity.
Olympic Countries
Eight countries qualified for the Olympic Games at an Olympic Qualifying event held in conjunction with the 1995 NationsBank Synchronized Swimming World Cup.
At the Olympic Qualifying event, the U.S. Team made history by receiving the first perfect score of straight 10s ever awarded at a major international event. The other seven countries qualifying include—Canada, Japan, Russia, France, China, Italy and Mexico.
What to Expect From Teams
What can you expect to see from each country at the Olympic Synchronized Swimming competition?
Here is a short general description of each country's style:
| USA |
Captivating — in full command |
| Canada |
Conceptual — look for a theme to be developed |
| Japan |
Pure — finesse of a culture |
| Russia |
Dynamic — brave and bold |
| France |
Elegant — grace and style |
| China |
Expressive — tradition in motion |
| Italy |
Intense — conviction with strength |
| Mexico |
Rhythmic — feel the beat |
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