Watch: USA’s Artistic Swimming Team’s Evolution in Free Routines in the Olympic Qualifiers Over Years

The road to Paris 2024 has knocked on the doors of hundreds of athletes, welcoming them a step closer to attaining their dreams on the coveted stage. Last month as the Doha aquatics championships continued on the marvel, it was Team USA’s Artistic swimming roster hearing the windchimes. Eight hours a day, six days a week for months, the team had etched history.

“Beyond proud of this team,” coach Andrea Fuentes wrote as the artistic swimming roster secured its bronze after having slipped during the 2021 Olympics qualifications. The latter of the lot had proved to be a routine away from the conventional paths, thus, sparking a division. Today as the team heads forward, here’s a look at how the team has embraced change.

USA artistic swimming routine comparisons

The World Aquatics on March 7th took to Twitter to share a side-by-side view of USA artistic swimming performances 3 years apart. “Team USA #ArtisticSwimming 2021 vs 2024 Olympic qualification Team Free routines side by side,” the post read as teams took the stage on the carousel. While the 2024 team offered a fluid routine combined with grace, the 2021 team took a robotic route with firm movements offering the range team USA held. However, only one team marched ahead by the video’s end.

The 2024 team needed to finish in the top 5 or take the Paris Olympics dream out of their hearts in Doha. Hence, with 115.6500 for artistic impression, the team not only secured a bronze but became the first USA artistic swimming team since 2008 to secure an Olympic qualification. In the previous edition, the 2021 team fell short of the Greece roster by .211 points to place fourth and lose out on the qualification. But for 2024, coach Andrea Fuentes said not this time.

A coach’s view of the routines

Appearing for an exclusive with Olympics.com, coach Andrea Fuentes revealed that the artistic swimming team spent eight hours a day, six days a week in training for the Olympics. The 4-time Olympian engages the athletes in routines that depict ‘moments of emptiness in day-to-day life’ during these hours.

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Olympics.com describes it as “a cocktail of inspiration that filters into this unfilled space,” inclusive of ideas from the athletes. The results often embrace a concept along the lines of ‘weird’ and ‘crazy’ which was what the 2021 robot routine was labeled before moving to a ‘masterpiece’.

“It’s about not being afraid of the opinion of others,” she says. With that mindset, Andrea Fuentes is preparing to help the USA artistic swimming roster land its podium at the Paris Olympics. The last of the medals came in 2004 when the team of 8 secured a bronze finish.

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