This edition of Sync Up gathers artistic swimming news and updates from January 15, 2021 to February 15, 2021.

Tokyo 2020 Updates

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has released a series of playbooks for its major stakeholders on some of the COVID-19 protocols to expect.
• All must show proof of a negative test no older than 72h before even flying to Japan. They all also must fill out a 14-days activity plan, that they will follow to the letter once on site.
• Athletes can arrive at the Village no earlier than five days before your event and depart a maximum of two days after. Get tested at least every four days. No socializing, no handshakes, no shouting, no hugs. Stay two meters apart from others. Avoid crowds. Wear a mask. No visits in tourist areas, shops, gym, restaurants or bars (what are those anyways). Do not use public transportation. Only go to official Games venues and limited additional locations. Must use the official contact tracing app. Understand you can be expelled if you do not follow these rules.
• Vaccination is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.
• The IOC will update these playbooks in April and June as the health situation evolves.
• “However, despite all care taken, risks and impacts may not be fully eliminated, and therefore you agree to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Games at your own risk.”

 

What About the Artistic Swimming Teams?

• As we know, Greece is working with Anna Tarrés and Bet Fernández in the hopes of securing an Olympic bid as a team for the first time since 2004. The federation revealed that the new routine is to the theme of Icarus, with a music specially composed for the team. An original and national theme, and with unique music? Yes, please.
• The nation also saw some changes in its training squad. 2019 World team member Maria Karapanagiotou is out and Zoi Karangelou, Ifigenia Krommydaki and Vasiliki Mozoli are in. Their good performances at the recent Sr. and Jr. Nationals probably played in their favors.
• While Greece is all in, Mexico is all out. Head coach Adriana Loftus confirmed that the country will not compete at the qualifiers in May. The team has been unable to train together since March 2020 as the elite training center (CNAR-CONADE) has still not reopened. No other pool around the nation would allow all 11 of them to train together. Now, only the already-qualified duet of Nuria Diosdado and Joana Jimenez will be at the Tokyo Games, as the pair has managed to continue training in municipal pools.
• Back in Europe, Spain is one of the favorites to grab one of the three remaining tickets to Tokyo. In this Catalan feature on Ona Carbonell, we can get a short glimpse of the new technical team routine. As for the duet, we don’t know anything new about it, whether in terms of its composition or choreographies.

As for some duets news…

• The Czech Republic has selected the pair of Karolína Klusková and Aneta Mrázková to compete at the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in May. The alternate is Alex Lucie Hrazdirová.
• Switzerland‘s Vivienne Koch and Joelle Peschl shared what’s going on underwater during their duet routine.

Calendar Updates

• ICYMI, the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament has been postponed (again) to May.
• And the World Series leg in China has been cancelled for the second year in a row.
• In good news, LEN President Paolo Barelli has declared that the 2021 European Championships in Budapest are expected to occur on the scheduled dates, from May 10-23. The president of the Hungarian federation has however stated the competition will be without spectators.

Got Skills?

• Russia’s Varvara Subbotina is good, like very good, at artistic swimming.
• So is Aleksandr Maltsev with a casual Barracuda blocked to vertical, followed by a continuous spin.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET

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