The Austrian Swimming Federation (OSV) announced Friday that Anna-Maria, Eirini-Marina and Vasiliki Alexandri will leave Austria and return to their native Greece, ending a 14-year run that transformed the country’s artistic swimming program.
The triplets informed all official bodies on Wednesday and were formally discharged from the Austrian Armed Forces on Thursday. They are expected to fly to Greece with their mother in the coming days, where they intend to continue their careers according to OSV.
“First of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the Austrian Federation for everything they have offered us on a sporting, organizational, and moral level,” the sisters said in a statement. “The support, opportunities, and conditions they provided have significantly contributed to our athletic development and our training as elite athletes. This experience will always remain an important and valued part of our sporting career. At the same time, however, we believe it is time to return to our roots.”
Following the move the federation described as “a complete surprise to everyone,” OSV president Arno Pajek thanked the trio for their dedication and achievements, calling their successes “unique” for Austria, its sponsors and the federation, and wished them well in their future sporting and personal endeavors.
The 28-year-olds Alexandris have been the most successful artistic swimmers in Austrian history.
Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina are two-time World Champions in duet and four-time World medalists overall. They are three-time European Champions in duet and seven-time European medalists overall. Last summer, the pair won gold in the technical duet at the World Championships in Singapore and are the reigning European champions in the event. They also represented Austria at three Olympic Games (2016, 2020 and 2024), most notably finishing fourth in Paris.
Vasiliki, a solo specialist, is a two-time World silver medalist and a three-time European champion, with five European medals overall. In 2025, she placed fourth in both technical and free solo at the World Championships, a few months after winning European gold in technical solo in Funchal.
The triplets actually began their international careers representing Greece, notably competing at the 2012 European Championships at the age of 14. They made their first major championship appearance under the Austrian flag in 2015 as juniors at the European Games, launching a medal-laden era that elevated the nation to the top tier of the sport.
Since parting ways with short-term coach Nakajima Takako last fall, the Alexandri sisters and the Austrian Swimming Federation had been searching for a new coach, without success, leaving the swimmers unable to train properly.
With the move signaling the end of their tenure in Austria, any potential international plans remain unclear. Austrian broadcaster ORF reported that a return to competition under the Greek flag could be a possibility, though no official confirmation has been made. Inside Synchro has reached out to the sisters for comment but has not yet received a response.
The development comes months after World Aquatics eased its sporting nationality rules. As of January 2025, athletes need to wait only one year — reduced from three — after their last international appearance to change sporting citizenship.
The updated regulations also lowered the required period of uninterrupted residence in a new country from three years to 12 months, while maintaining an exception for athletes who can demonstrate a “genuine, close and established link” to the nation they intend to represent. Naturally, any change of sporting nationality would require the involvement of both national federations, with one submitting a formal request to World Aquatics and the other providing approval.
ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET
Cover photo: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia
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