Artistic swimming—formerly known as synchronized swimming—is a wild and wonderful Olympic sport. It’s absolutely grueling for the athletes; they are expected to twist, flip, and kick in perfect unison while under water (at times fully inverted in the water!), without ever touching the bottom of the pool. They hold their breath longer than any human probably should. Oh, and they have to do this all while giving the “appearance of total confidence and effortless, fluid execution without evidence of strain,” according to the World Aquatics judges’ manual.
While the athleticism of artistic swimming really can’t be overstated, it’s also impossible to deny that the sport’s aesthetic—in combination with just how hard-core it is—is what makes it truly mesmerizing to watch. Even though the sport has gotten away from its Golden Age of Hollywood roots, it’s still got juuuuust enough pizzazz to make it particularly appealing to former theater kids (hello!) who love it when sports incorporate a little camp. To wit: The French artistic swimming team kicked off the “free routine” (a.k.a. the second of three rounds) on Tuesday wearing caps made to look like human faces—which made it appear as if their heads were on backward. It was dramatic, surreal, and absolutely perfect. Vive la France!