What Is Aquatic Sports?

Aquatic sports include some of the most exciting and visually striking disciplines in international sport, all taking place in or on water. Whether it's a team game like water polo or a solo test of stamina like open water swimming, each sport brings something different to the pool (or lake).

Available to stream for free on Eurovision Sport:

• Water polo - fast, tactical team play
• Artistic swimming - synchronised routines with gymnastic flair
• Competitive swimming - short and long-distance races across multiple strokes
• Diving - precision-based dives from springboards or platforms
• Open water swimming - endurance events held in lakes, rivers, and seas

You'll find these sports featured in major competitions like the World Aquatics Championships, European Aquatics Championships, and the Olympic Games; all available to stream for free on Eurovision Sport.

What Is Water Polo?

Water polo is a fast-moving team sport played in deep water, often described as a mix between handball and wrestling - underwater. Two teams try to score by throwing a floating ball into the opponent's goal.

• Invented in late 19th-century England as "water rugby"
• Became an Olympic sport in 1900 (men) and 2000 (women)
• Key competitions: World Aquatics Championships, European Championships, Olympics

Which Countries Dominate Water Polo?

Certain countries consistently dominate international water polo due to deep-rooted sporting traditions, competitive domestic leagues, and strong youth development pipelines.

Country	Why They Excel
Hungary	Men's team has won 9 Olympic golds, the most in history; national obsession; strong domestic league
Serbia	Multiple-time World and European champions, and holds 3 Olympic golds
Italy	Men's and women's teams are regular medal contenders; men's team has 3 Olympic golds
Spain	The women's team holds one World Championship gold, and three gold medals in the European Championships
USA	Women's team has won 3 consecutive Olympic golds (2012, 2016, 2020) and 8 World Championship titles
Netherlands	Women's team won Olympic gold in 2008, and holds 2 golds at the World Championships, and 6 European Championship golds

Water Polo Rules

Water polo combines the intensity of a contact sport with the discipline of swimming. While fast-paced and physical, it's governed by strict rules to maintain fairness and flow.

• Each team has 7 players in the water: 6 field players + 1 goalkeeper
• Games are played in 4 quarters, usually 8 minutes each
• Minor fouls are common; major fouls can lead to player exclusions or penalties
• Players can only hold the ball with one hand (goalkeepers are the exception)
• Shot clock: teams must shoot within 30 seconds
• Men's and women's rules are nearly identical at the international level but the ball is slightly smaller for women's water polo.

How Long Is A Water Polo Game?

Water polo games may be short on the clock, but they're packed with action. Each match is broken into quarters, with frequent stoppages that keep the game intense and tactical.

• Standard format: 4 quarters, each lasting 8 minutes of actual play time
• The clock stops for goals, fouls, and timeouts - so matches often last closer to an hour in real time
• This structure is consistent across all top-level competitions, including the Olympics and World Championships

Scoring In Water Polo

Scoring in water polo is simple in theory - get the ball into the goal - but doing it under constant pressure, in deep water, is where the real challenge lies. Quick thinking and team coordination are key.

• Each goal is worth 1 point
• Penalty shots are awarded for major fouls inside the 5-metre area
• Two referees control the game to enforce fairness and flow
• In knockout matches, extra time or penalty shootouts decide the winner if scores are tied

What Is Artistic Swimming?

Artistic swimming, formerly known as synchronised swimming, blends swimming, dance, and gymnastics into choreographed routines performed to music. Athletes compete solo, in duets, or in teams, showcasing strength, flexibility, and precision.

• Routine Types: Solo, Duet, Mixed Duet, Team, Free Combination, Acrobatic
• Scoring: Judges assess technical execution and artistic impression
• Major Competitions: World Aquatics Championships, European Championships, Olympic Games

Is Artistic Swimming The Same As Synchronized Swimming?

Yes- they're the same sport. The name was officially changed to artistic swimming in 2017 to better reflect the sport's physical and creative demands.

• Previously called synchronized swimming
• Renamed by FINA in 2017
• Aims to highlight both the athleticism and artistic elements of the sport
• Aligns with naming used in other judged sports like artistic gymnastics

Do Men Compete In Artistic Swimming?

Yes - men now compete at major international competitions, including the Olympic (starting 2024) in mixed team events.

• Men can compete in solo, duet, and team routines
• Mixed duets are included in World and European Championships
• Paris Olympics 2024 featured men in mixed team events
• Notable male athletes: Bill May (USA), a trailblazer in the sport

Artistic Swimming Rule Changes

Artistic swimming has recently updated its rules to reward difficulty and improve judging fairness.

• New scoring system introduced globally in 2022
• Athletes declare difficulty in advance (like gymnastics or diving)
• Judges score execution separately from difficulty

The new rules are aimed at reducing subjectivity and encouraging innovation in routines.

Artistic Swimming Rules

Artistic swimming routines are judged based on a combination of technical elements and artistic presentation.

• Technical Elements: Required movements performed with precision
• Artistic Impression: Creativity, choreography, and synchronization with music
• Time Limits: Routines must adhere to specific durations, varying by event type
• Penalties: Deductions for touching the pool bottom, exceeding time limits, or missing required elements

Where To Watch Artistic Swimming

You can watch world-class artistic swimming routines for free on Eurovision Sport, with full coverage of major international events.

• Live streams and full replays of World Aquatics Championships
• Coverage of European Championships and mixed duet events
• Highlights and expert commentary available on demand
• No subscription required - free access worldwide

Swimming Championships

Competitive swimming is a race-based sport where athletes compete over various distances and strokes. It's one of the most watched Olympic disciplines and features some of the world's fastest athletes.

• Core strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley
• Events take place in 25m (short course) and 50m (long course) pools
• Races vary in distance: from 50m sprints to 1500m endurance swims
• Featured in Olympic Games, World Aquatics Championships, and European Championships

Swimming Race Rules

Competitive swimming is governed by clear rules to ensure fairness and consistency.

• Races are split by stroke, distance, and gender
• One false start leads to automatic disqualification
• Swimmers must stay in their assigned lane throughout the race
• Turns and finishes must follow stroke-specific technique rules

Scoring In Swimming

Swimming is scored purely by time-the fastest swimmer wins. There's no subjective judging involved.

• Results are time-based
• Heats determine advancement to semi-finals or finals
• Swim-offs can occur if there's a tie for advancement
• Rankings are based on finish time, not judge evaluation

How Long Is An Olympic Swimming Pool

International competitions, including the Olympics, follow a strict pool size standard.

• Length: 50 metres
• Width: 25 metres (10 lanes)
• Depth: Minimum 2 metres
• Standard applies to all elite-level competitions

Famous Swimmers

Over the years, these swimmers have made history with world records, Olympic medals, and unforgettable performances in the pool.

• Katie Ledecky (USA)
  • Specialises in distance freestyle events (400m, 800m, 1500m)
  • 9-time Olympic gold medallist and 21-time World Champion
  • Holds multiple world records, including in the 800m and 1500m freestyle
• Caeleb Dressel (USA)
  • Known for explosive sprint speed in freestyle and butterfly
  • Won 2 Olympic golds at Paris 2024, taking total of gold Olympic medals to 9
  • Set the world record in the 100m butterfly (49.45)
• Ariarne Titmus (Australia)
  • Beat Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle at Tokyo 2020
  • Olympic and World Champion in 400m freestyle
  • Known for her powerful finishing kick
• Zhang Yufei (China)
  • Tokyo 2020 double gold medallist in 200m butterfly and relay events
  • Rising star in both butterfly and freestyle sprint events
• Other top nations in swimming
  • USA - dominates across strokes and distances
  • Australia - consistently strong in freestyle and relay events
  • China - excels in butterfly and breaststroke
  • France, Canada, Hungary - known for producing Olympic medal contenders

Competitive Diving

Diving is a precision-based judged sport where athletes perform flips, twists, and controlled entries into the water from springboards or platforms.

• Events: 1m springboard, 3m springboard, 10m platform
• Includes individual and synchronised formats
• Performed by both men and women
• Featured in Olympics, World Aquatics Championships, and European Championships

How Is Diving Scored?

Diving is a judged sport where precision, control, and difficulty all play a role in determining the final score. Athletes are rewarded for executing complex dives with clean form and minimal splash on entry.

• Execution is scored by seven judges (individual events) or eleven (synchronised), on a scale of 0 to 10, using half-point increments
• The highest and lowest scores are discarded; the middle scores are added together and multiplied by the dive's Degree of Difficulty (DD)
• Points are deducted for poor form, over-rotation, unstable take-offs, splashy entries, or lack of control
• In synchronised diving, judges also score timing, coordination, and entry alignment between both divers

Diving Athletes

Some divers have delivered unforgettable performances on the world stage, setting records and raising the bar for precision and execution.

• Quan Hongchan (China)
  • Just 14 years old at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
  • Scored multiple perfect 10s in the 10m platform final
  • Delivered one of the highest-scoring dives in Olympic history
• Tom Daley & Matty Lee (Great Britain)
  • Won gold in the 10m synchronised event at Tokyo 2020
  • Scored 471.81 points with consistent timing and execution
• Top diving nations
  • China - dominant in almost all events, known for technical perfection
  • Great Britain - strong in platform and synchro events
  • Canada - excels in springboard, especially women's events
  • Australia - consistent finalists in both springboard and platform

How Many Rounds In Diving?

Diving competitions have multiple rounds to determine the top performers.

• Preliminaries: all divers compete with 5-6 dives
• Semifinals: top 18 advance
• Finals: top 12 divers compete for medals
• Scores reset between each round
• Format is consistent across Olympic and World-level events

Why Do Divers Shower Between Dives?

Post-dive showers serve a practical performance purpose-not hygiene.

• Keeps muscles warm to prevent injury or cramping
• Rinses off chlorine or other pool chemicals
• Helps athletes stay focused and maintain body temperature
• Common practice in all elite-level competitions

Open Water Swimming Events

Open water swimming takes competitive racing out of the pool and into unpredictable natural environments. Whether navigating ocean swells or battling lake currents, athletes need endurance, tactics, and resilience.

• Typical distances: 5 km, 10 km (Olympic distance), and 25 km
• Races held in natural settings, with unpredictable conditions
  • Lake Balaton (Hungary) -site of the 2017 World Championships
  • Setúbal Bay (Portugal) -a frequent World Cup venue
  • Tokyo Bay (Japan) -hosted the Olympic 10 km swim at Tokyo 2020
• Featured at World Aquatics Championships, European Championships, and the Olympic Games
• Athletes must manage currents, weather, and feeding strategies

Top Open Water Athletes:

• Florian Wellbrock (Germany) - Olympic gold in 10 km (Tokyo 2020), world title in 2019 and 2023
• Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) - multiple-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist in 2020
• Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands) - Olympic gold in 2016, silver in 2020

Watch Aquatics

You can watch live and on-demand coverage of swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, and open water events for free on Eurovision Sport. Stream the biggest moments from European and World competitions - all without a subscription.