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The price of art

Internet, undated
They flew to Beijing with suitcases full of sequin-spangled swimsuits, waterproof makeup, nose clips and gelatine to make sure that under-
water each hair would stay in place.
When speed swimmers were fretting about whether a new hi-tech swimsuit could help them finish a few fractions of a second faster, the Spanish team were fighting a ban on their new battery powered, light up costumes.
Synchronised swimming is an event that many sports fans find hard to take seriously, especially at a time when other athletes are running faster, jumping higher or at least pinning their opponents to the ground
Even some fellow Olympians mock them.
"In Athens when we were getting dnig testing an athlete walked by and saw us. He asked 'why do you need to do that, you don't even break a sweat." said Russian multiple gold medallist Anastasia Ermakova.
But to reach the Games the women face gruelling training sessions up to 10 hours a day. six
days a week. They swim, of course, but also do weights, gymnastics and endurance workouts.
"The water polo players train a lot less and get a lot more money than us. They’re obviously cleverer, ’ said Spanish duet silver medallist Andrea Fuentes with a wry smile.
The routines themselves arc punishing, with lung-busting periods underwater while kicking, spinning and twirling their legs in perfect formation for spectators.
"You have to stay calm, and tell yourself its going to be ok. it just hurts." said U.S. duet finalist Christina Jones.
"You still need control over the fine muscles to execute very intri cate movements, even when you have no feeling in your legs."
And unlike sprinters, cyclists or wrestlers who can grimace their way to gold, the swimmers have to make the pain look fun.
All that smiling, and the "artistic merit” portion of the judging rile critics of the event who say art does not mix well with a tank of chlon nated water
The sport's low point was proba bly in 1996. when France's govern ment had to step in to stop its team from portraying (he Holocaust, complete with goose stepping intro But swimmers now stick to less controversial themes and Ermakova has an easy answer for critics of the hybrid of art and sport she has perfected.
"People who say its not a sport should be put under the water and try and do what we do," she told journalists with a grin.