For a number of years, male athletes have competed in certain World Aquatics artistic swimming competitions, but for the first time a man has been crowned Solo World Champion.
Spain’s Fernando Diaz del Rio made history with his win this Monday in Fukuoka, Japan. The 20-year-old won with a score of 224.5550 points, beating American Kenneth Gaudet (216.8 points) and Kazakhstan’s Eduard Kim (216 points) in the 10-man technical race. No Canadians participated.
Action photos of the sport’s first king, formerly known as synchronized swimming, circulated the internet, as did those of the podium, showing the three winners smiling with their medals and stuffed animal by one of the event’s mascots, Sealight.
America’s Kenneth Gaudet (silver medalist), Spanish champion Fernando Diaz del Rio Soto and Kazakhstan’s Eduard Kim (bronze medalist) pose during the medal ceremony after the solo artistic swimming technical event at the World Aquatics Championships Monday, July 17, in Japan. Photo: AFP
American Kenneth Gaudet takes a selfie with Spain’s Fernando Diaz del Rio Soto and Kazakhstan’s Eduard Kim. Photo: AFP
Gaudet and Kim will be back in the pool for the men’s solo on Tuesday.
Mixed events
Fukuoka was also the site of the inaugural mixed team artistic swimming event at World Aquatics.
China dominated the acrobatic competition with a score of 238.0033. The United States (232.4033) and Japan (220.5867) completed the podium.
It should be noted that the three medal-winning countries had one man in their ranks. American Bill May, who has long campaigned for the inclusion of male athletes in artistic swimming and won the first-ever mixed duet competition in Kazan, Russia, in 2015, was there.
“It’s amazing! This team is the hardest working team I’ve ever met in my life [ses coéquipières] are so inspiring,” said the 44-year-old swimmer, according to AFP Comments.
Bill May and his American teammates won silver in the mixed aerobatic team event at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan on Monday, July 17. Photo: AFP
Quebecers Laurianne Imbeau, Raphaëlle Plante, Florence Tremblay and Kiara Quieti helped Canada finish sixth out of twelve with 205.49 points. The maple leaf had no men on its staff.
The Canadians presented their acrobatic feat on Monday, July 17 at World Aquatics in Fukuoka. Photo: AFP
In the mixed technical competition, Canada failed to reach the finals and finished 14th in the preliminary rounds on Saturday. The first 12 nations will be in action again on Tuesday. Again, there is no man representing the maple leaf. Canada is not represented on the mixed freestyle team.
Also at the Olympic Games
For the first time at the World Championships, the three team events – acrobatics, technique and freestyle – are open to men, with each formation having a maximum of two male athletes.
This will also be the case at the Olympic Games in Paris next summer. Although the face of artistic swimming will change at the Olympics, men will not be able to compete in solos or duets.
▶ In addition, Quebec’s Audrey Lamothe placed sixth in the technical solo on Saturday. The following day, she secured eighth place in the free solo heat. The final will take place on Wednesday.
Quebec’s Audrey Lamothe during the free solo preliminary rounds at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan. Photo: AFP
– With AFP