Teams will put synced men in groups at the Olympics to get extra footage and spectacle in productions, Gana Maksimova, the mixed duo’s production coach, told .
Earlier, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the International Swimming Federation rule, men will be able to make their synchronized swimming debut at the Games already in Paris.
– I agree with Sasha that first of all I would like to see mixed pairs at the Olympics. In the current situation, where men can compete in a group in the program of the Games, it will be necessary to work with an additional young man, because if Sasha joins the group, the preparation for the Tour will change and at certain starts he can be necessary to replace it. For my part, I will do my best to get Sasha into the group, and Tatyana Nikolaevna (Pokrovskaya) also seems to be considering this option. However, it’s really a matter of matching the workouts. In this respect, it would be simpler to introduce mixed pairs into the program of the Games as of now. And yet, something is better than nothing, which means that the introduction of mixed pairs on the Games program is not far off.
– Isn’t this confusing the wording that allows each team to decide if its group will be purely female or mixed?
I think more judges should be embarrassed. Not only the rules of synchronized swimming have changed considerably, but also this situation with mixed groups. Getting used to such a volume of changes will not be easy. And judges don’t need to get used to it, but adapt quickly, because their mistakes can cost athletes and coaches too much. We already understand roughly that in the first competitions, because of the imperfection of the new criteria, everyone can be surprised by insufficient results compared to the level of the athletes.
With all this, I can only wish the judges success and the most responsible attitude in understanding the new rules. And strong nerves, of course, to the coaches, and especially the production coaches. In general, I think coaches will put men in groups, and especially on teams where there are good male synchronized swimmers. Although even in weak teams it will be a definite plus, as it is an additional opportunity for program imagery and dramaturgy. And it certainly adds to the spectacle and entertainment. In the era of television and the Internet, it is a necessity for the survival of any sports discipline in the Olympic family.
Maksimova works with the mixed Russian duo. Four-time world champion Alexander Maltsev plays there, his partners in the programs are Maya Gurbanberdieva and Olesya Platonova.
Source : MatchTV
