Long considered as a discipline reserved for women, male artistic swimming was scheduled for the first time during a major competition.
Le Monde with AFP
He will remember this “first”. Bronze medal around his neck, the French Quentin Rakotomalala seemed not to believe his eyes, on the podium of the European Swimming Championships. At 19, the Frenchman has marked history, finishing third in the solo free, Sunday August 14. For the first time, artistic swimming, a discipline long considered reserved for women, was on the program for men in a large competition.
“I hope that by seeing me here [other boys] will say that it is possible for them to make synchronized swimming. It is not a girl sport, it’s completely open” , enjoyed the Habs, who started artistic swimming at the age of nine by following the steps of his sister. I hope that for the rest, there are plenty who will get started and continue “.
Long stigmatized, men’s artistic swimming is only in its infancy. In 2015, mixed duets had made their official appearance during the world championships – and the French Virginie Dedieu, a former star of the discipline, had left his retirement to compete with his compatriot Benoît Beaufils. But it was not until 2022 for an international competition to program solo tests among men. And big beginnings oblige, only four competitors participated, Sunday, in European competition due to the low density of the discipline.
a still stammering discipline
With 78 points, Quentin Rakotomalala finished third – out of four, therefore – behind the Italian Giorgio Minisini in gold (88,4667) and the Spaniard Fernando Diaz del Rio (83,3333) in silver. “I really had fun, I took advantage of the moment. To be at the European Championships is really incredible,” smiled French, who performed on melancholy music by the British Benjamin Clementine.
Before his entry, the swimmer reported the difficulties encountered younger, when he had to face “misunderstanding and questioning in the eyes of people”, when he explained to them to make artistic swimming.
plunged him into the big bath – title of the dramatic comedy of Gilles Lellouche (2018) around the discipline, featuring an aquatic ballet of the broken arms – following his big sister. “I was doing the basis of the base and I loved to see his galas and his competitions. One day, a coach offered to try because she saw that I adored that and that I came to all Galas, “he said. Appreciating “the artistic side, the dance side”, the one who feels comfortable in the water adopted the discipline. And at 19, he brought a bronze medal to the ambitious blue wave, who dreams of breaking on Rome for these European championships.