FINA Artistic Swimming World Series, Tokyo: The third leg opens in Tokyo

The third leg of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series 2018 is about to be held for four days, from 27-30 April, in Tokyo, Japan.

Previous to the competition, the Organising Committee officially opened the festivities on Thursday April 26 with a press conference in Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center.

Yukiko Inui and Kanami Nakamaki (JPN), Paula Ramirez (ESP) and Linda Cerruti (ITA) represented the athletes today at the conference, while FINA Technical Delegate and also FINA Technical Artistic Swimming Committee member Lisa Schot made a speech announcing the start of the World Series.

Pointing to the swimmers next to her she said: 

“These are the real heroes of this event. We really want to thank the Japan Swimming Federation, the Japan Olympic Committee and the government for supporting this event.”

“The real stars as I said are the ones beside me who work tirelessly very hard every day in the water for the most amazing sport ever. It is athletic and powerful. Teachers have great values and skills. They never give up even when they don’t win. They keep going, always!. They are the real heroes of the story."

"They will be fighting in the pool tomorrow and in the next few days for a medal as they head to the Olympic Games 2020 here in Tokyo. We are all happy to be here!” Scott said.

Yukiko Inui (JPN), who took duet and team bronze at the Rio Olympic Games and claimed two bronzes in both the team technical routine and the free combination in the World Championship in Budapest last year, spoke of her aspiration to this leg in Tokyo.

"Actually this is the first World Series with our new team. I want to show excellent performances based on what we have learned. Also for the duet, based on what we have learned in the previous leg in France, I want to display a powerful routine to you.”, she said.

Linda Cerrutti (ITA) expressed her hope for this leg. She has been part of the Italian team since 2011 for four times in a row in the World Championships.

”At this Japan Open, we want to improve our score and we want to please everybody with our performance. We are entering the duet and the mixed duet and we want to show our choreography and do our best."

"I think the Olympic Games in Tokyo will be great. I am especially excited because my coach is also Japanese. I am looking forward to visiting Tokyo after this competition.”, she said.

Paula Ramirez, who was famous Spanish swimmer Ona Carbonell’s partner talked about her goal in Tokyo, including the highlights of the Spanish national team as a new one.

“We are a young team still. We love our routine, and I would like to show you a wonderful performance, showing you our improvements. The routine is also wonderful and we use the music we like, that is the appealing point. Even if it becomes a new routine, I want to demonstrate a perfect performance."

"Tokyo is wonderful, and the Tokyo Olympic Games will be the first Olympics for me. Our coach, Mayuko Fujiki, has told us about the beautiful Japanese culture.”, she said.

The complete start list is available here 

The competition’s schedule is as follows.

Day1/27 April

Solo Technical Routine Final

Team Technical Routine Final

Day2/28 April

Mixed Duet Technical Routine Final

Duet Technical Routine Final

Solo Free Routine Preliminary

Highlight Routine Final

Day3/29 April

Duet Free Routine Preliminary

Mixed Duet Free Routine Final

Team Free Routine Final

Day4/30 April

Athlete parade

Free Combination

Final Solo Free Routine

Final Duet Free Routine Final