Home > Events > Olympics > Demonstration Sports > Summer > Synchronized Swimming

Synchronized Swimming Demonstration at the Olympics

Synchronized swimming is a relatively new sports at the Olympic Games, first officially on the Olympic Games program in 1984 in LA. Prior to that there have been demonstrations of the sport at several Olympic games, though possibly never as an 'official' demonstration sport.

Athens 1906 - there was a demonstration of 'figure swimming' as part of the Swedish aquatic exhibition in the Neo Phalerum Bay.

Helsinki 1952 — there was no mention of a demonstration of synchronized swimming in the official Olympic report of the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952, though there are many other references to an exhibition of the sport in Helsinki in 1952, with demonstrations by a team from USA (St. Clair Synchronettes) and Canada.

1906 Exhibition of figure swimming in the Bay of Neo Phalerum

Melbourne 1956 - Olympic gala demonstrations of synchronized swimming, including swimmers from the Athens Club of Oakland, California.

Rome 1960 - gala demonstrations

Tokyo 1964 - Olympic gala demonstrations, with swimmers from the teams St. Louis Shaw Park, Lansing Sea Sprites, and New York Community College.

Mexico 1968 - there are some reports of a demonstration at these games, but no details have been found.

source: Synchronized Swimming: An American History By Dawn Pawson Bean

Related Pages

• More Olympic Demonstration Sports
• Synchronized Swimming at the Olympics
• More about the sport of Synchronized Swimming

Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.