The timeless beauty of nose clips and waterproof makeup
There was a time when art was actually part of the Olympic competition. From 1912 until 1952, art competitions (sculpture, painting, music, literature and architecture) were held and medals awarded. Tug of war was a sport at one time as well. Seriously.
As odd as those seem now, it’s likely that in 2072 the fact that synchronized swimming was an Olympic event will cause just as much wonder. It was already dropped once (in Atlanta in 1996), but reinstated four years later in Sydney.
While we wait for its inevitable drop from the program again, we get treated with images such as those that follow. If you’re a fan of nose clips, heavy makeup, awkward outfits and watching people hold their breath underwater, enjoy!
This is the Russian team of Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina.They won gold in the duo event in London. A Russian pair has won the gold every year since the sport was reinstated. No word on whether Ringling Brothers clowns reached out with a post-Olympics job offer.
Earlier in the week, the Russians paid tribute to Michael Jackson, doing a routine to the late entertainer's "They Don't Care About Us." At least one member of his family had high praise.
If you think it looks weird above the pool surface, it gets weirder underneath. Above, The team from Australia competes during the synchronized team technical routine on Thursday.
We told you it gets complicated. Above, the team from Great Britain regroups for their next maneuver. Or maybe they were practicing getting into a crowded Tube train.
We told you there would be nose plugs. This French pair apparently decided to work a little "Swan Lake" tribute into their outfits.
Remember being tossed in the air by your parents while swimming in the hotel pool on vacation? Hopefully these Russians get just as big a kick out of it now that they're adults.
We don't have access to Athletes Village, but like to think that somewhere in the dorms right now the teams, such as this one from China, do everything in synch.
Above images by Patrick B. Kraemer/EPA; TMZ; Mark J. Terrill/AP; Adam Pretty/Getty Images; and Michael Sohn/AP
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- 2012 Olympics London
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How about underwater pyramid building, water basketball, football, underwater farting bubbles. Seriously folks, get rid of synchronized swimming-its stupid. How about synchronized sky diving, hot air ballooning, jump roping. Lets see atheletic competition, not nut job togetherness.
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I guess for some people, ignorance is bliss. Synchronized swimming takes just as much if not more physical exertion than any other sport in the Olympics. The fact that it is a team event performed to music with coordinating uniforms does not make it any less a sport. You could never do half of what these women do without years of strenuous training. Take that from someone who has been involved in the sport for almost 15 years. So before make judgements, make sure you know all the facts.
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Just because it takes effort to do doesn't justify it as a sport any more than synchronized anything else. The fact is that you and the rest of the population of this planet that cares about synchronized swimming, which is about 0.0000000000000001%, it matters. To the rest of us, we could care less and will never consider it a sport.
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My freind and I used to say why not have underwater basket weaving as a sport - it would be just as exciting!!! Get rid of this stupid "sport", just as dumb as rythmic gymnastics. If you disagree, who cares. It's as dumb to have synchronized swimming as it would be to have synchronized discus throwing or synchronized pole vaulting. Please!!!!
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I guess for some people, ignorance is bliss. Synchronized swimming takes as much if not more physical exertion than any other sport in the Olympics. The fact that it's a team event performed to music with coordinated uniforms does not make it any less of a sport. It would take years of training to be at the level of physical ability that these women are at. Take that from someone who has been involved in the sport for over 15 years. So before you make harsh judgements about something you know nothing about, consider jumping in a pool and trying to do half of what you see on TV. You don't get to the Olympics by being pretty.
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Shooting grinning synchronized clowns out of the cannons should be an Olympic sport. Their expression are reminiscent of the mentally disturbed...... . We should send Batman after these Jokers.......
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this is not a sport
my wife loved watching the Russian team
there you go -
Bans this crap (unless they go naked next time) :o)
