Russian synchronized swimmers have pulled off a jaw-dropping underwater performance during a training session, but in doing so, they reveal the only element they “can’t do properly.”
The Russian ‘mermaids’, who’ve been unbeaten on the international stage for 20 years, attempted to build a star with their bodies under the water, demonstrating incredible team work and coordination.
However, what seemed to the layperson to be a mesmerizing and perfectly constructed figure is the sole element the world and Olympic champions can’t yet do at the very highest level.
“Our team is capable of doing things no other squad in the world can repeat. But a simple star that can be easily done by many remains the one thing we can’t quite manage! This is a mystery that so far remains unsolved,” wrote squad member Vlada Chigireva, who shared the video on her Instagram page.
The swimmers, who haven’t lost a single competition since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, are getting ready to make another golden sweep at next summer’s games in Tokyo, Japan.
Russia’s long-time synchro coach, Tatiana Pokrovskaya, traditionally keeps the music and theme of routines secret, but assured fans both will be phenomenal and will differ from any other program displayed at the Olympics.