Synchronized diving

When I was surfing the TV channels I came across the Olympic trials for Woman’s Synchronized Diving. What a beguiling sport! If a sport can be called, 'lovely', this word certainly applies to synchronized diving. I was mesmerized watching the women perform. Their graceful twists and turns seemed effortless as they dived into the water with almost perfect timing. It takes exquisite skill and a high degree of aestheticism to achieve such beautiful dives.

Having been unaware that the sport existed, I was surprised to learn synchronized diving had been a new form of competitive diving at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Back in the 1930's, Aquacades and swimming meets would showcase precision swimming where a group of swimmers would create designs in the water and morph from one design into another. On occasion there might be a display of synchronized diving as a skillful stunt much like those in a circus.

Now that its a recognized sport, it's hard to believe it took so many years for it to become a competitive sport.

I understand there is a special way of judging the events. Both men and women compete in two events. Two divers of the same gender attempt the same dive from adjacent 3 meter springboards, but share the platform on the 10 meter board. Each diver has one of the nine judges watching his or her performance in addition to that of the other five judges.

Roseline Filion (foreground) and Meaghan Benfeito
Photograph by: Mike Ridewood

Photo Credit and Story Link:
Roseline Filion (foreground) of Laval, Que. and Meaghan Benfeito of Montreal compete in the preliminary for women’s synchronized 10m platform at the FINA Visa Diving World Cup at Olympic Aquatic Centre in London,
England, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012.
Photograph by: Mike Ridewood