FINA Adds Mixed Duet to International Championships

The sport of synchronized swimming will make an historic move in the near future as FINA recently added mixed-gender events to its international championships.

FINA voted for the addition of mixed-gender events in synchronized swimming and diving at the Extraordinary Congress in Doha, Qatar, last weekend. No timeline has been announced for incorporating these mixed-gender events into international championships.

"I feel that this event can be a strength for the USA," said USA Synchro Executive Director Kevin Warner. "I was told that our organization proposed this event several years ago, so we are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase one of our strengths to the world."

FINA approved the addition of mixed duets in both the technical and free competitions. Currently, men don't compete in synchro in any capacity at the Olympics, the FINA World Aquatics Championships or at the FINA Synchro World Cup. Male participation in the sport, however, has been growing, and they are frequently seen in national-level competitions in the U.S., Canada, and France, among other places.

There is a growing international championship for men competed in compliance with FINA regulations called the Men's Cup.

The 16th FINA World Championships will be held in Kazan, Russia, July 24-Aug. 9, 2015.

About USA Synchro: USA Synchro was established as a nonprofit organization in 1977, and is the United States national governing body for the sport, recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee and FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur) - the international governing federation.

USA Synchro organizes, participates in, and promotes a variety of competitive events each year. These events begin at the local level and continue in the following categories: Senior (15 & O), Junior (15-18), Junior Olympic (19 & U), Collegiate and Masters (20+).

For more information on USA Synchro, visit http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Synchronized-Swimming.aspx, facebook.com/usasynchro and @usasynchro

USA Synchro is based in Indianapolis and serves as the National Governing Body for the sport of synchronized swimming, appointed as such by the United States Olympic Committee. It is a membership based and not-for-profit organization which services the sport from the grass roots level to the National Team. The mission statement of USA Synchro is "to provide leadership and resources for the promotion and growth of synchronized swimming, to achieve competitive excellence at all levels and to develop broad based participation."