U.S. artistic swimming team qualifies for Olympics for first time since 2008 after bagging bronze at World Championships in Doha
The US artistic swimming team has qualified for the Summer Olympics for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games. The team earned a bronze medal at the World Championships in Doha for its acrobatic and free routines but finished in the fourth position in the technical routine.
The social media team of the USA Artistic Swimming shared a delightful moment on Instagram, as it posted a video of the team celebrating upon realizing that it was into the Olympics. Watch here:
Team USA also congratulated the artistic swimming team on Instagram, saying:
"Back for the first time since Beijing!!!"
Andrea Fuentes Fache, the US artistic team head coach, congratulated the swimmers. She commented on the Team USA's post:
"Beyond proud of this team."
This was the last chance for the US artistic swimming team to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
U.S. Artistic Swimming Team included a man for the first time
The U.S. artistic swimming team, which has qualified to compete in the Paris Olympics, also included a man, Bill May, for the first time. This came about after international officials gave the green light for men to be included in top-level competition more than a year ago.
Men will be able to compete in Olympic artistic swimming for the first time in the Paris Olympics. In late 2022, head coach Fuentes Fache said she looks forward to having men in her athlete pool.
"I want inclusion. If I have the opportunity to do it, I will for sure use it," she said (via NBC Sports).
Bill May, 45, emerged as the first man to win a world medal in team artistic swimming. He also achieved a silver medal last summer in Fukuoka in the acrobatic round with the U.S. team.
May was first allowed to participate in the World Aquatics Championships in 2015 where he won gold.