The swimmers are in splendid shape, the routines clearly difficult, yet they're presented as though they are not. There were eight teams in last night's final. Almost all of them used music that was somehow churchy, lots of pealing bells and ominous-sounding overtures, yet throughout the performances, to a woman, the swimmers smiled those dreadful smiles. I want women to have bigger dreams than this, want more for themselves than approbation for merely looking great, for performing a feat that is demanding and complicated and making it appear simple. I suppose, in the end, that what synchronized swimming does is speak to the limited ambition of so many young women.
Synchro swimmers get marks in two categories, technical and artistic.
T and A. Fitting. We welcome your feedback. All rights reserved.