Figure swimming seems to have always been a world for female athletes, and many people are not even aware that this sport also has male athletes.
"This is a dance in the water. We may be more accustomed to seeing women do it, but just like there are male dancers in classical dance, there are also male swimmers in synchronized swimming," said Nicolo Ogliari, a 23-year-old Italian male flower swimmer
According to foreign media reports, 25-year-old Italian figure swimmer Giorgio Minisini has revealed to people the love, struggle, setbacks, and hope of this group of little-known athletes. Now, male flower gamers have begun to break the stereotypes surrounding them and convey a different masculine beauty in this sport.
George Minisini.Stereotypes breed discrimination
Men excluded from the flower world
It is reported that male athletes have been participating in synchronized swimming since its inception, but until recent years, they have been banned from participating in the top international competitions. Because men have always been considered unsuitable for this sport - although they are stronger than women, their bodies are heavier and often less flexible, making it more difficult to float in the water.
Regarding this, Italian figure swimmer George Minisini said, "These inequalities are not dominated by men. As men, we were once discriminated against." George sighed, and once we have a deeper understanding of this sport, we will know that aerobic ability and consistency of movements are the least significant difficulties for male swimmers.
George Minisini and his partner.
George fell in love with this sport when he was four years old. He watched the performance of American synchronized swimmer Bill May and found that male synchronized swimming is different. "I just want to follow in his footsteps," he said
His early career was difficult, not only because he didn't know if men would one day participate in international competitions, but also because he found it difficult to make people understand the sport he was engaged in. Some people say he is foolish because "synchronized swimming is not a sport, and it is not a 'male' sport", and there are also other attacks on him.
George Minisini.
But George believed, "Being a man doesn't mean you have to be a certain kind of man. Being a woman doesn't mean you should be a certain predetermined type of woman. You can be what you want to be. I think these differences make life beautiful. We should encourage these differences."
George defeated 13 female synchronized swimmers to win the gold medal at the 2021 National Championships in Italy, becoming the first male synchronized swimmer to win a singles championship. This became one of the most important milestones in his career.
A historic medal win at the World Championships
Looking forward to showcasing the male beauty of flower tourism at the Olympics
In recent years, there have been some positive developments in the situation of men in synchronized swimming. The first milestone was the 2015 Kazan World Swimming Championships held in Russia, where male synchronized swimmers were finally allowed to participate.
