Artistic swimming may look effortless, but behind every precise movement and every synchronized smile lies hours of discipline, strength, and teamwork. Team Manitoba’s artistic swimmers are bringing that dedication to the Canada Summer Games, proudly representing their province on a national stage.

“It’s like dancing and gymnastics and cheerleading in the water,” explained Kate Courchaine, “except you’re holding your breath, and you can’t touch the bottom of the pool.”

Training Like Athletes, Performing Like Artists

The athletes’ training is as demanding as any high-performance sport. During the school year, they commit to multiple four-hour practices each week. In the summer, training extends into full-day sessions from morning until late afternoon.

“A lot, a lot, a lot of intense training goes into this,” said Courchaine. “It’s also a mental game, because anything can go wrong and you have to be ready for it.”

The long practices take a toll on the body. Alexis Ball said the sorest muscles after training are typically the hips and shoulders. Still, every drill builds the strength and stamina to stay in sync.

One of the toughest, hidden challenges is skulling. “It’s basically moving your arms in and out by your hip to keep pressure so you can get higher up out of the water when you’re upside down,” explained Courchaine. “A lot of us are in shape, but we have injuries we have to keep pushing through, and you have to do your physio and stuff to make sure you can skull, because that’s one of the biggest parts of staying high up out of the water.”

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The Details You Don’t See

Even before they hit the water, artistic swimmers spend hours preparing on competition days. One of the most unique rituals is a process called knoxing, where athletes slick their hair back into buns and coat it with unflavoured gelatin to keep everything perfectly in place. Add dramatic makeup, headpieces, and competition suits, and the athletes are only halfway through their performance prep. Dryland and in-water warm-ups follow before it’s time to take the stage.

There’s also a misconception that swimmers can’t hear music underwater—but that’s not the case. To stay in sync, “there are underwater speakers,” said Salma Elmagrahby, “and we also have counts that we’re doing in our heads.”

A Team United

Like any team sport, the bond between teammates matters as much as the training. Manitoba’s athletes lean on one another to stay energized and focused before they compete.

“We like to do a team cheer, and this thing called buzzing where we all hold hands and make this noise together,” said Sophie Misko. “It gets the energy up.”

Their shared creativity also shines through. When asked to describe their routine using only emojis, the team imagined a lively jungle of frogs, butterflies, trees, snakes, lions, and jaguars.

Proud to Represent Manitoba

For these athletes, competing at the Canada Summer Games is about more than results - it’s about representing their province and showcasing the power, artistry, and resilience of their sport.

“All of us worked super duper hard during the season and the summer to get where we are now,” said Courchaine.

Artistic swimming may be new to the Summer Games, but for this team, it’s the culmination of years of training and a chance to perform on a national stage. With every lift, every count, and every moment of synchronization, Team Manitoba’s artistic swimmers are making their mark.