Happy New Year! May 2025 bring everyone happiness, health, big dreams, entertaining routines, exciting acrobatics and a lot less R7s (that one might actually happen, more on that soon). Now, let’s dive into some of the news from the last month.

Retirements

• Berta Ferreras of Spain has officially announced her retirement from artistic swimming. A 2020 Olympian, Ferreras had been on the senior national team since 2016. She first started competing in the mixed duet alongside Pau Ribes, before moving on to the team events. She competed in five World Championships throughout her career, winning two bronze medals and a gold (as a reserve). She is a nine-time European medalist, including two golds, as well.
• Teammate Judith Calvo is also retiring. Calvo had focused on the mixed duet event in recent years, notably winning gold in the free mixed duet and bronze in technical mixed duet at the Paris World Cup last season alongside Jordi Caceres. The 21-year-old was also a steady member of the Spanish junior national team, frequently participating in the European Junior Championships and other World Cup/World Series events.
• Paris Olympian Jessica Sobrino of Mexico is officially hanging up her suit. Known for her high-flying acrobatics, Sobrino was a key member of the Mexican national team for over a decade. She participated in seven World Championships since her senior debut in 2013, as well as three Pan American Games, the latter being in 2023 where she won gold.

Awards and Honors

• Klara Bleyer was named Germany‘s Newcomer of the Year, a prize awarded across all sports in the nation. Klara made history for the German Swimming Association (DSV) this year when she won two silver medals in solo at the European Championships in Belgrade, as well as a historical gold in acrobatic team — the first European title for Germany in artistic swimming.
• Evangelia Platanioti was also recognized as the Top Female Athlete of 2024 in Greece at the PSAT (Panhellenic Association of Sports Press) Awards. She is the first artistic swimmer since Christina Thalassinidou in 1991 to earn this award. Platanioti became a World Champion in solo in Doha and also participated in her fourth Olympic Games last summer.

 

Greek national team

The Greek Swimming Federation (KOE) has announced the athletes selected for the 2025 senior national team. It notably includes two male artistic swimmers, 14-year-old Stylianos Koukouselis Fouskis and 15-year-old Marios Kritsas!

The athletes are: Thaleia Dampali, Olga Imvrioti, Athina Kamarinopoulou, Zoi Karangelou, Stylianos Koukouselis Fouskis, Marios Kritsas, Sofia Malkogeorgou (2024 Olympian), Despoina Pentza, Sofia Rigakou, Vasiliki Thanou, Danai Tsaprali and Georgia Myrto Zangana.

Missing from the list is four-time Olympian Evangelia Platanioti, who is in a “rest period from a year in the red” according to Greek media SPORT24. Multiple-time European medalists Maria Alzigkouzi, Maria Karapanagiotou and Ifigeneia Krommydaki, who had all been on the senior squad for the last few years, do not appear on the list either.

As a reminder, Meng Chen was named the new head coach of the Greek team in October.

Italian national team

The Italians are also ready for the next Olympic cycle to start. In the latest press release from the federation (Federnuoto), technical director Patrizia Giallombardo gave a rundown of what to expect this upcoming season, unveiling a pool of about 24 athletes to choose from for various call-ups to the senior A or B teams.

The athletes called for the next camp in January in Rome are: Beatrice Andina, Valentina Bisi, Caterina Cucco, Marta Iacoacci (2024 Olympian), Alessia Macchi, Giorgia Lucia Macino, Sofia Mastroianni (2024 Olympian), Susanna Pedotti (2024 Olympic reserve), Sophie Tabbiani and Giulia Vernice (2024 Olympian).

Although the Italian federation has made no formal announcement yet, Anna Voloshyna is also listed as part of the coaching staff for this next camp. A Ukrainian Olympian, she most recently led the Canadian team to a sixth-place finish at the Paris Olympics.

The duet and mixed duet training group — made of Lucrezia Ruggiero (2024 Olympian), Gabriele Minak, Filippo Pelati, Sarah Maria Rizea and Flaminia Vernice — has already held regular training camps over the last few months, and is naturally expected to be part of the core of this renewed senior team.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET

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