Carolyn Waldo was the first Canadian woman to win two gold medals at an Olympic Games, and she did it all while getting a late start to the sport.
Waldo started artistic swimming when she was 11-years-old to overcome her fear of swimming after a near-drowning experience when she was three. Growing up in Montreal, Waldo spent six–eight hours a day training. When she was 18, she moved to Calgary to compete for the Calgary Aquabelles, and made her first appearance at the 1984 Olympics, picking up a silver medal. For the next four years, Waldo was referred to as the “Golden Girl,” winning every competition she competed in. After winning gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games as both a solo and duet competitor, Waldo retired.
Artistic swimming, also known as synchronized swimming, made its debut at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. It’s been referred to as the combination of gymnastics and ballet underwater. In Olympic competition, competitors can compete as a duo or in a team. Up until 1992, when Waldo was still performing, swimmers could compete individually — which kind of defeated the purpose of synchronized swimming. The sport as a whole has moved away from the term “synchronized swimming” to acknowledge that synchronization is just one aspect of artistic swimming.
At the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games, for the first time in the history of artistic swimming, a maximum of two men can compete on a team. As always, competitors must perform two routines: technical and free. Technical routines require certain skills to be done in sequential order throughout the 2:30–2:50 second performance, depending on if it’s done by a team or in a pair. While also timed, the free routines allow for total creativity.
Like Waldo, I had a late start to the sport of artistic swimming. She showed me that the underdog, someone unlikely to win, can become the “dark horse” — the hidden ace. This knowledge gave me the confidence to pursue my passion, rather than shy away from the fear of failure or inadequacy.
I start my most recent solo routine with the same beginning pose that began her gold medal routine. Before I dive into the water, I remember that just as Waldo did, I’ll swim my routine with confidence, grace, and vigour.
