Synchronized swimming, also known as artistic swimming, is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by World Aquatics. It has traditionally been a women's sport, although FINA introduced a new mixed gender duet competition that included one male swimmer in each duet at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and European Aquatics introduced men's individual events at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships. From 2024, men are able to compete in the team event at the Olympics.
World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. It is one of several international federations which administer a given sport or discipline for both the IOC and the international community. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
European Aquatics is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to World Aquatics — it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was formally organized in 1927 in Bologna, and since 2015 is headquartered in Nyon.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around the world. Exhibits include ancient art and both reproductions and original art depicting famous moments in swimming history, swimwear, and civil rights, as well as memorabilia and artifacts belonging to persons who have promoted or excelled in aquatics. It is recognized by FINA as the official hall for the aquatics sports.
The World Aquatics Championships are the World Championships for six aquatic disciplines: swimming, diving, high diving, open water swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo. The championships are staged by World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. The championships are World Aquatics' largest and main event traditionally held biennially every odd year, with all six of the aquatic disciplines contested every championships. Dr. Hal Henning, FINA's president from 1972 through 1976, and their first American President, was highly instrumental in starting the first World Aquatics Championships, and in retaining the number of swimming events in the Olympics, which gave an advantage to nations with larger, more balanced swim teams.
Randall Bal is an American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a former world record holder in the 50-meter backstroke.
Masters swimming is a special class of competitive swimming for swimmers 25 years and older. Premasters is normally included as well, from 18 years old or 20 years old (Europe).
Streamline form is a swimming technique that is used underwater in every stroke. At the start of a race or on a turn, streamline form is used, usually along with a dolphin kick or flutter kick, to create the least amount of resistance to help the swimmer propel as far as they can. Many factors contribute to the perfect streamline form and mastering this method increases a swimmer's speed. Streamline is one of the key fundamentals to mastering any stroke.
For the swimming competitions at the 2008 Olympics the following qualification systems were in place.
The swimming portion of the 2011 FINA World Championships was held July 24–31 at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. Swimming is one of five aquatic disciplines at the championships.
The Japanese team will compete at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China.
Swimming New Zealand is the national governing body of swimming, in New Zealand. Swimming New Zealand, then known as The New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association was founded on 4 January 1890.
Alzain Tareq is a swimmer from Bahrain.
Canada competed at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary from 14 July to 30 July.
The Royal Belgian Swimming Federation is the umbrella swimming association in Belgium and is responsible for all types of swimming: swimming in lanes, water polo, synchronised swimming, diving and open water swimming. The federation has its registered office in Brussels. Michel Louwagie is the current president since 1998. The RBSF is affiliated with the Belgian Olympic Committee, the Ligue Européenne de Natation and the Federation Internationale de Natation. The Board of Directors and the General Assembly of the RBSF consist of representatives of the Flemish and Francophone swimming federations. The Belgian Swimming Federation is formally authorized to represent the Belgian swimming world and to deliver athletes and teams to international tournaments. The informal power and sport policy lie in fact with the regional swimming federations, which have the financial resources.
Alice Georgina Nana Dearing is a British swimmer, specialising in open water events. In June 2021, Dearing qualified to represent Great Britain in the 2020 Olympics. Dearing co-founded the Black Swimming Association in 2020. The charity was founded to encourage swimming among BME communities in Britain, and has the support of Swim England.
The Bahamas Aquatics Federation (BAF) is the governing body of swimming in the Bahamas. They are also responsible for the development of synchronized swimming, diving, water polo, open water swimming. BAF is a member of the International Swimming Organization FINA and Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation.
Kako Kawaguchi is a Japanese water polo player. She was selected to the Japan women's national water polo team, for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
From 2015 to 2022 when the World Aquatics was still known as FINA, neutral athletes have competed under the designation Independent FINA Athlete (IFA) either due to their national federation's suspension of their governing body or as refugees.
Slovakia competed at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan from 14 to 30 July.
Sweden 
United States 
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South Africa 
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Romania 
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Canada 
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