The 2025 World Aquatics Championships are upon us, and this year, all eyes turn to Singapore. From July 18 to 25, the Lion City will host artistic swimming’s biggest meet of the season, and quite possibly, its most meaningful in a while. Eight days of competition and 11 events await, with new faces in this post-Olympic year, familiar powerhouses, and long-awaited returns all set to shape the storylines in Singapore.
Over the last Olympic cycle, China has reigned nearly uncontested, sweeping both golds in Paris, showing excellence one World Championships after another, and setting the pace under the revamped scoring system. But now, the Russian senior national team makes its return to international competition under the “Neutral Athletes B” designation. With Russia’s legacy as the sport’s most decorated program, and China’s current dominance, their meeting in Singapore promises to be one of the most compelling showdowns.
Before its suspension following the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Russia had been the undisputed leader for decades, with China in the hunt, steadily aiming to close the gap and battle for gold. Russian losses on the World Championships stage were few and far between, rare enough to count on one hand. In women’s solo, the country hadn’t been beaten since 2005; in duet, since 2001; in team, since 1994. More often than not, it was Russia’s absence, not defeat, that allowed others to claim victory.
But now, the landscape has shifted, and the sport is nothing like it was when the nation got banned. Absent from the last three World Championships, the “Neutral Athletes B” team arrives with a new generation of athletes and has never competed internationally under the new system. The experienced Chinese team, on the other hand, has spent the last three years mastering it — often through trial and error — and now sits firmly at the top. Can China stay there with the full-force return of its main rival?
The Chinese come to Singapore as defending champions in seven events, including all five Olympic ones, and as a heavy favorite in most others. In the team routines, the nation has been particularly outstanding and looks almost unreachable. At the World Cup Super Final, the team debuted two new routines: the “Wukong” technical program and the acrobatic “Soul of the Terracotta Warriors” routine. Already, the latter earned eight 10s, including five in artistic impression, and inarguably set a new benchmark for the entire field.
With those performances and benefitting from the leadership of four Olympic Champions, the Chinese are in command, and there has been little to suggest they’ll slow down now or relinquish the top spot.
On the other hand, the Neutral Athletes B squad is young and largely untested. Of the nine athletes named to the team — Anna Andrianova, Anastasiia Bakhtyreva, Daria Geloshvili, Ekaterina Kossova, Elizaveta Minaeva, Evelina Simonova, Elizaveta Smirnova, Agniia Tulupova and Aleksandra Shmidt (reserve) — only Minaeva has ever competed on a world stage, and even that was in the junior category in 2018. Two have only ever competed once at the European Youth level, two at the European junior level, and the remaining four have simply never appeared on an international start list at all.
Add to that the weight of expectation, the immense spotlight that comes with representing the nation’s return, and the challenge of adapting to a new scoring system that is far less forgiving than the one they left behind.
Still, Russia remains Russia. Even with a fresh-faced lineup, one can expect impeccable technique, strong execution, sky-high acrobatics, and very high difficulty. Historically, the nation has thrived under pressure and managed to deliver when it matters most. This will be the ultimate test of whether their well-known system, coaching, and legacy can translate through an unproven generation, and in front of international judges and technical controllers for the very first time.
The Neutral Athletes B team will only appear in the technical and acrobatic events in Singapore. The technical program is new, set to Khachaturian’s fast-paced “Sabre Dance.” This routine was strategically omitted from domestic broadcast coverage during Russian nationals, but it did record the highest degree of difficulty (DD) so far this season (49.625).
The senior team has yet to present a free routine under the new scoring system, so it is not a huge surprise to see it forgoing that event here.
In the other events, fans will see the return of more familiar names. Aleksandr Maltsev, now 30, remains the most experienced athlete on the roster. A six-time World Champion, he’ll compete in four events in Singapore: both men’s solo events, and both mixed duet routines alongside longtime partners Maya Gurbanberdieva and Olesya Platonova. Like the team, they’ve stayed active in competitions organized domestically, such as the Federation Cup and BRICS Games, but haven’t faced a full international panel since 2021.
In duet, Tatiana Gayday and two-time World Champion Mayya Doroshko will aim to assert themselves among the world’s best. The new pair, only formed last fall, took gold in the Soma Bay World Cup in the technical event, and should unveil a new free routine in Singapore.
“Our duet free program is completely new and unusual for us,” Gayday told Match TV. “I didn’t even know that it was possible to express myself like that.”
“We have an acting class,” Doroshko said. “That is, we work on our faces, train our facial muscles, work on how to show some things… We train in front of a mirror a lot.”
Gayday, who will also swim in the technical solo, has stepped away from team routines to focus solely on these events this season.
Although she’s remained active over the last three years, Svetlana Kolesnichenko will not compete in Singapore. The three-time Olympic champion, 16-time World Champion and 11-time European Champion went on maternity leave in May, but has not announced the end of her sports career.
Beyond these two giants, Olympic bronze medalist Spain enters Singapore in excellent form, and with virtually more momentum than any other country. The nation has been the most visible and active on the international stage this year, competing in every World Cup and almost always finishing on the podium.
On top of it, the team recently medaled in all 11 events at the European Championships, and unveiled a new acrobatic routine alongside its masterpiece “Madness” free routine. The latter is where head coach Andrea Fuentes has fully unleashed her creativity, and where three new acrobatics have been submitted to World Aquatics ahead of these championships.
Another must-watch routine of Spain’s is the free mixed duet, where Iris Tio and Dennis Gonzalez remain unbeaten so far, having continuously lit up the score sheets and racking up multiple 10s in artistic impression at each of their outings.
Overall, the nation is a serious medal contender in all events in Singapore, and will look to finish its incredible year on a high note.
“Obviously, winning 11 medals like at the recent European Championships would be the best, but I don’t focus on the results or the color of the medals,” Fuentes said during the team’s media day. “What I want is for them to swim their best, for us to get closer to our full potential. If we win a medal, I’ll celebrate, but above all, I’ll celebrate if they just had their best time.”
Italy, too, is riding high after its eight medals and historic golds in the free duet and acrobatic team at the European Championships, solidifying its position as a podium contender across the board as well.
Japan, a perennial force in the sport, returns after winning silver in free team and bronze in technical team at the 2024 Doha World Championships. Under new head coach Miyakawa Miya, the Japanese have continued to impress with their superb technique, precision and cohesive style. They have claimed medals at each of their World Cup outings in both duet and team events, and notably posted the highest DD so far this year in the free team at the Super Final.
Along with China, Italy and Spain, Kazakhstan also enters all 11 events. The expected return of reigning World Champions Nargiza Bolatova and Eduard Kim in the technical mixed duet will be particularly intriguing, especially if they reprise their new, fantastic choreography from the Soma Bay World Cup. They are also entered in the free mixed duet event for the first time this season. Finally, Kim’s technical solo is another must-watch routine, especially for his musicality and interpretation.
Team USA — Olympic silver medalist and two-time world bronze medalist in Doha — will compete in all three team events. While the American squad has been a bit less visible on the international circuit this year compared to seasons past, it remains a strong podium contender with head coach Tammy McGregor now at the helm and with the 2028 Los Angeles Games on the horizon.
One notable absence is that of world medalist Kenny Gaudet, a key figure in the national team over the last few years. In a statement to Inside Synchro, USA Artistic Swimming CEO Adam Andrasko said:
“Kenny made the decision to leave the program earlier this season to pursue other opportunities. He remains involved in the sport as a club coach. We understand and support the challenging decision he made.”
In the solo events, the absence of defending champions opens the door to fresh medalists and long-time contenders hoping for a breakthrough. On the women’s side, Vasiliki Alexandri (Austria), Xu Huiyan (China), Klara Bleyer (Germany), Vasilina Khandoshka (Neutral Athlete A), Iris Tio (Spain), and Tatiana Gayday (NAB) should be among the favorites.
Three-time European Champion Vasiliki Alexandri will showcase her new free solo, set to the theme of the hit TV show Squid Game, for the first time this season.
In the men’s solos, keep an eye on Guo Muye (China), Filippo Pelati (Italy), Ranjuo Tomblin (Great Britain), Diego Villalobos (Mexico), Dennis Gonzalez (Spain), as well as Kim and Maltsev as mentioned above.
In the duet field, none of the experienced pairs who medaled in Doha or in Paris will be in the pool, so these podiums are also wide open. Austria’s Anna-Maria and Eirini Alexandri hold the season’s highest technical duet score in an international competition, a huge 301.8800, and enter as heavy favorites in that event. Other strong contenders include pairs from China, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Ukraine and of course, Neutral Athletes B.
In those events, Greece will present a new technical duet pairing of Zoi Karangelou and Olympian Sofia Evangelia Malkogeorgou, while the U.S. will field a new technical duet routine with Olympic silver medalist Jaime Czarkowski and Ghizal Akbar, making their first major appearance together on the international stage.
In the mixed duet, expect Spain to contend again, but they’ll be challenged by strong pairs from China, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, and as previously mentioned, Kazakhstan and Neutral Athletes B.
Finally, these championships also mark the return of North Korea to Worlds for the first time since 2019, after appearances at the Asian Games and BRICS Games in recent years, as well as the season debut of Brazil’s and Germany’s senior teams.
Stay tuned throughout the week for full coverage, results, and recaps, right here on Inside Synchro. All the info you need to follow the competition is available here.
ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA MARMET
Cover photo: World Aquatics
If you’ve enjoyed our coverage, please consider donating to Inside Synchro! Any amount helps us run the site and travel costs to cover meets during the season.