At just five years old, Germany‘s Klara Bleyer discovered artistic swimming the way many young athletes do: by seeing it on television. Instantly captivated, she and her older sister Johanna convinced their parents to let them give it a try. They had already dabbled in other sports, from equestrian vaulting to ballet, but artistic swimming quickly became their passion.

At 10, Bleyer made a pivotal move to the club of FS Bochum, where she began training under Soviet-born coach Stella Mukhamedova, with whom she still is today. From that moment on, her path was set. 

Through years of hard work and perseverance, Bleyer made her mark on German artistic swimming as she climbed the international rankings. She reached new heights in 2023 when she became a two-time European Junior Champion, claiming Germany’s first European Junior title in nearly 40 years. 

She carried that momentum into 2024, winning a historic European gold in the acrobatic team event and two silvers in solo, along with multiple medals on the World Cup circuit and recording two top-five finishes at the World Championships. Her standout season was further recognized when she was named Germany’s Newcomer of the Year last fall.

Now 20 years old, Bleyer has firmly established herself as one of the sport’s most exciting names. We caught up with her to talk about her journey, her record-breaking seasons, what’s next, and more.

 

Inside Synchro: When you started the sport, did you ever picture yourself representing Germany? 

Klara Bleyer: At the beginning no. In my first club, it was more for fun, which is good when you are young. You want to have fun and fall in love with the sport. It became more serious when I switched to Bochum and started to train with Stella. Little by little, I got more into competitions. For example, we went to small competitions together, like the “Austrian Youth Open”, or the “Russian Matryoshka” [for U-12 athletes].

My first big one was the COMEN Cup in 2017. Of course, I was really nervous! It was the first time swimming for Germany, and the first time being with so many nations… So many good nations! It was really interesting and exciting. And even though I was nervous, I stuck to the sport, so I guess I liked it.

IS: At that time, did you ever dream about winning medals at international competitions, or becoming European Champion?

KB: No, never. Never, never, never (laughs)! I mean, you always wish for it, but I never saw it coming because of the old system. And maybe if 2023 didn’t go as it did, I might have not continued artistic swimming. Because I had finished school that year, and I was at the age where you’re like, “Okay, what am I gonna do with my life? How do I earn money and stuff?”

But the competitions went quite great, and again in 2024. Since, I have had new opportunities which I never thought could happen. I even joined the Army, and they give me funding to do my sport. This is just something that I never thought could be possible for me. 

IS: You’re saying you almost quit after the 2022 season?

KB: Yes. So, I had finished high-school that year, and I didn’t know what to do, if I should go to university or not. I decided to take a year off and to do only synchro. And then, all of the sudden, there were these new rules, this new system in the sport, so I told myself I’d try it. I still loved the sport and I still wanted to do it. And then yes… Everything came together.

IS: Can you tell us more about what the new artistic swimming rules and scoring system have changed for you?

KB: I feel like with the old system, of course, it was much harder to get to the top. It took more years. Maybe Germany would have never won the gold at the European Championships… Or maybe in like, a thousand years (laughs). 

Of course, it’s a different sport now. I know there’s still some hate about it because it’s so different, but for smaller artistic swimming countries like Germany, it is quite good. Because, now, we can finally be up there too, be good at the sport, be represented in the media, and it motivates us. 

IS: We talked about this at a competition before, but there was also this preconceived idea that one had to be relatively tall to be a successful artistic swimmer and to get to the medal stand. Have you perceived a shift away from that as well with these new rules?

KB: Yes. Of course I’m very glad about this. I always looked to Kate [Shortman] and Izzy [Thorpe], especially Kate, who do the duet for Great Britain. She was always someone I had eyes on because she was also small, but she did so great, also in solo. She gave me more confidence to do what I do. 

You know, for many years, we went to Russia with Stella and my teammates for training camps, to work on technique and everything. It was already a few years ago but I remember once, there was one coach there who asked Stella about me. She told her, “What do you want with this girl? She’s too short.” But, I kept going and yes, I’m very glad that I did.

 

IS: Indeed. So, you decided to give it one more year in 2023. That summer, you won two gold medals in solo at the European Junior Championships. How did it feel to hear the German anthem play for you? 

KB: Really weird. I still find it weird, even last year in Belgrade [for the European Championships]. When I’m in the moment, I can’t realize it. I’m like, “Am I wrong to be here?” It also feels that way because I never, ever thought I could stand there. But after a few weeks, I can realize everything, and of course, now, I want to stay there. This competition was my proudest moment, I think, because it just was really shocking but also the start of something. 

IS: What were your goals going into the 2024 season?

KB: After these Junior Europeans, we started working more on duets with Johanna [Bleyer] and Susana [Rovner] for the World Championships in Doha. We practiced a lot of duet because we wanted to try to qualify for the Olympics. But it was a very short time for us, too short, just a few months where we really could prepare ourselves for this.

After Doha, I focused more on solo. With Stella, we both agreed that I needed to improve on artistic impression. So, we invited Ona [Carbonell] to Germany, and we trained together to focus on that. It was really great. Then after the World Cup in Paris, where I won silver, I had my eyes on the European Championships. I wanted to win a medal, and yes, everything turned out great. 

I have to say, I was really nervous. With the new system, I get really nervous, which is also something I want to work on so that I can really show my best. Overall, it was quite a stressful year because I started to study product design. I really love it, but I couldn’t slow down at all for the first two semesters.

Now because of all that happened in 2024, I decided to slow down on my university studies a little bit, so I can focus more on sports. Because, I can do the sport now, studying I can always do later. 

IS: And now, if I understand correctly, you’re a professional athlete. Are you the first professional artistic swimmer in Germany? 

KB: Yes (laughs). It’s not that easy to get in because the German Federation has a specific number of spots for athletes that can go to the Army. They didn’t quite consider artistic swimming before, until now. I’m really lucky about that. In Germany, this is the only way to be a professional athlete for almost all sports, and to get money to do your sport.

 

IS: You mentioned earlier working with Olympic medalist Ona Carbonell of Spain. How has your experience with her been like?

KB: Honestly at first, I was a little bit scared, or intimidated, because she was my role model. I have a lot of respect for her, for how she swims. But she was very great, very patient, and taught me a lot. 

She showed me some other sides of artistry, what it is really like to do a new routine and embrace a theme. She’s helped me see different movements I can do with my body; it’s not only shoulders or head. We did some challenges, for example, moving through the pool with always one hand out of the water.

Of course, she’s not a magician (laughs). It’s not because I worked with her a few times that I’m now great at artistic. It’s a process, and we are working together again this year. I did a new free routine with her in October, and we will come together a few more times this year.

IS: Speaking of this upcoming season, you have a new duet partner, Amelie Blumenthal-Haz. Can you tell us more about how you two came together?

KB: We have been on the national team together already, but this year, Amelie switched to my club because she wanted to improve more. I was really glad about it, because my sister and Susana both quit, so I didn’t have a duet partner anymore. Luckily, Amelie came to me, or to my club, so we started working together. 

For this season, I think we will probably only do one duet because she’s also still a junior. She has to do the junior competitions with the team, so it will be a lot for her.

We want to qualify for the World Cups, the World Championships and the European Championships where we can represent Germany there. This is the goal for this season, to be seen and progress together. 

And then, we want to work on qualifying for the Olympics in 2028. Of course, nothing is sure. First, we have to prove ourselves, but I think having to go against other duets in Germany is a very good thing; it’s good to have competition. 

IS: Have the Olympics always been a dream of yours? 

KB: Yes. In my mind, it always was 2024, but I had quite some changes with my duet partners over the years. And for 2024, we didn’t have that much preparation time with Johanna and Susana. So now is a really good time to start with a new duet, and with Amelie who also has this Olympic goal.

IS: But first, 2025.

KB: Yes. For now, I just want to get better at each competition, and be at my best at the World Championships, which is the last one of the season. Hopefully Amelie and I can qualify for that competition too.

I am also in the team routines, of course. With the results from last year, there was a lot more media attention than before, but there’s still a lot of work to do to be on the same level as the other aquatic sports, even in terms of funding. But it’s getting better, little bit by little bit. I think more people in Germany might know what artistic swimming is now. And, now, we want to keep putting the sport more into German heads.

 

Klara Bleyer will get her season started this week at the first World Cup in Paris, France. She plans on competing in the technical and free solo events, as well as the technical duet.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET

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