“I'm sure our sport will grow.
For me, the goal is the Worlds next year.
Then, I would see the men at the Olympics.
".
Here is what Quentin Rakotomalala, one of the rare boys to practice artistic swimming and bronze medalist at the European championships last summer, told us.
His vision was the right one because World Aquatics (the international federation, formerly called Fina) announced this Thursday that the IOC had approved the participation of men in artistic swimming for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In the summer of 2024, the two events on the Olympic program will take place in the aquatic center of Saint-Denis: the duet and the team event of eight.
It is in this second event that men will be allowed to compete, up to a maximum of two male athletes per team.
Included in the program of the Olympic Games since 1984 (Los Angeles), it is a new advance for this sport which has only allowed men to participate in the artistic swimming world championships since 2015.
“Water sports are universal and men have proven to be excellent artistic swimmers.
I can't wait to see this new dimension of artistic swimming being shared with the world in Paris.
The inclusion of men in artistic swimming is a great credit to all who have worked for many years to make this happen,” said Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics.
