The history of Synchronised Swimming

GENERAL HISTORY

The first known record of synchronised swimming dates back to 1891 when group of male swimmers performed what was then called figure swimming in Berlin.

Since then, names like Annette Kellerman, Katherine Curtis and Esther Williams have all helped to give the sport a name. Kellerman is an Australian who impressed the people of New York with a performance in a tank in 1907. At this point the sport was named Water Ballet.

Curtis then gave the sport the name Synchronised swimming in the 1930s and Williams further promoted it with a series of "Aqua musicals".

Synchro's first taste of olympic inclusion was after the second world war when it was included as a demonstration sport. However, synchro was not given full olympic status until 1984.

The synchro program initally consisted of Duet and Solo but the solo event was replaced by the team event at the Atlanta games.

Prior to the Sydney games the USA and Canada had been the dominant nations in the sport; however, recently Russia has clamed that status being back to back olympic champions in both events.

AUSTRALIAN SYNCHRO HISTORY

It was when the first  sub-committee for synchronised swimming was set up by the Australian Swimming Union (now Australian Swimming Inc.)  that synchro made its mark in Australia. Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia were represented. That same year a national competition was held in Sydney and Jillian Kerwin of Victoria took out the solo event with Judith and Gail Pettigrew of New South Wales winning the duet. Victoria went on to claim the open team event. The competition was very successful and lead to the Australian Championships being developed which were held in Melbourne the following year and have been held every year since.

In 1967 Australian Synchro went international when Beverly Balkind of NSW competed in the World Games in Belgrade. She competed in the solo event and achieved 7th place. At this time only NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria were competing, but in 1968 Queensland adopted synchro and began to compete.

1972 and 73 saw many more foundations laid down such as the release of the first synchro newsletter and the forming of individual committees in Western Australia and Victoria.

Australia improved on their previous 7th placing at the World Swimming Championships in 1979 which were held in Columbia when they were represented by Donella Burridge and Lisa Steans in the solo and duet events. They placed sixth in both. Meanwhile back in Australia the first association badge was designed and education for coaches and judges was promoted. Four people attended a judging development clinic in Canada and The Australian Swimming Union allowed a Level one coaching course to be introduced.

Up until a couple of years after the World Swimming Championships each state had their own award system for swimmers, but in 1981 all the states came together and adopted the Star System which is still in place. You can read about this system in 'awards and programs'.

1984 was a significant year for Australian Synchro when we were represented in the Olympics by Donella Burridge and Lisa Steynes. In 1986 Australia sent their first internationally competitive team to the World Championships in Madrid, and a duet competed at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. After this success overseas, the World Championships came to Australia. They were held in Perth and our athletes had a chance to compete on their own soil in all three events (team, solo and duet).

More recently Australia have competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Commonwealth Games where they gained two bronze medals and the World Championships in Barcelona.