
Singapore's national artistic swimming team looking to improve in formations, underwater moves
Singapore's national artistic swimming team are looking to improve in areas such as better formations and underwater movements. The team were only put together about a year ago to prepare for the World Aquatics Championships and only started training in earnest at the end of last year after exams. Singapore finished 23rd out of 26 teams in the Team Technical preliminaries. Alif Amsyar reports.
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Spain's Bonmati keen to add Euro crown to glittering medal haul
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Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Iris Tio Casas makes history for Spain with artistic swimming solo free gold at World C'ships
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And for the first time, Tio, who had earned bronze medals in the solo technical and team free events, is a solo world champion. 'It means a lot because it's my first gold medal in solo at the world championships and also my first medal in solo free, so I'm super happy, I can't believe it right now,' said Tio, who added the title to the team bronze from the Paris Games and the team technical gold at the 2023 Fukuoka championships. 'I feel very emotional because my parents are in the stands, it's a dream come true.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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She then had to endure a tense wait to find out if her effort was enough, with Khandoshka and Xu performing after her. Spanish champion Iris Tio Casas (centre) with China's silver medallist Xu Huiyan (far left) and Belarusian Vasilina Khandoshka at the World Aquatics Championships Arena. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Tio said: 'She (Xu) improved the difficulty and Khandoshka also had good difficulty, so I tried to improve, to put more between the preliminary and final, and it worked out. 'I was hoping that because I give my everything in the water that it would pay off and have a reward.' Her victory also made history for Spain, as it was the country's first women's solo title at the world championships. Tio again choked up when the Spanish national anthem was played during the victory ceremony, but the tears were wiped clean moments afterwards as her teammates embraced her and sang 'campeones, campeones, ole, ole, ole' in the mixed zone. In a country where football reigns supreme, Spain's artistic swimmers are proving they can compete on the world stage as well. Winning a solo world title had been a lifelong goal for Tio, a dream she said became possible thanks to the pioneers of the sport in Spain, including former world champions and Olympic medallists Gemma Mengual, Andrea Fuentes and Ona Carbonell. Fuentes, who returned to Spain after guiding the United States to a historic team silver at the Paris Games, is leading her country's artistic swimming campaign at these world championships. On the growth of the sport in Spain, Tio said: 'We have really good coaches. The federation is putting in a lot of effort to make artistic swimming important in Spain. We are improving a lot. 'We always have the strength that is artistic impression, which Andrea Fuentes has been promoting a lot for us. It's because of the work of the coaches and the federation that artistic swimming is growing in Spain.' It was a day to remember for Tio, who returned to the podium later after helping Spain bag the bronze in the team technical event with 294.8575 points. Defending champions China took gold (307.8001), while the Russians, competing as neutral athletes, clinched silver with 300.6183. China's artistic swimmers took gold in the team technical event on July 22. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO China coach Zhang Xiaohuan described the day as a special one for the team, especially as they faced off against powerhouses Russia, who returned to the world meet as neutrals after missing out on the past three editions. Russia had not competed in the world meet since 2022, due to sanctions on their athletes, along with those from Belarus, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The team also did not participate in the Paris Olympics. Despite their absence from international competition in recent years, Zhang said their rivals remain a formidable force. 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Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Mekies hails sacked Horner for his support
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