2025 Australian Artistic Swimming Championships
The Gold Coast Mermaids (pictured above) reigned supreme at this year's Australian Artistic Swimming Championships, taking home the Australian Championship Club Trophy.
This year, Victoria welcomed us back for the first time in nine years. The Championships were held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre from April 12-17, and saw participants from Australian clubs across the country in addition to an international field from New Zealand, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong.
The organising committee and all volunteers did an outstanding job, and a successful competition was enjoyed by all. Thank you.
There were so many highlights throughout the event, and it is great to see our sport, and its athletes, and officials continue to grow and develop, with everyone showcasing their best performances. From Masters to under 10’s and everyone in between, competitor numbers were high, and a great time was had by all.
The youngest competitor at the event was Isabella Xu (pictured) at only 8 years of age. She had a personal best performance in her solo and took home the Silver medal. The experience of competing at an away competition was something she will never forget, and something to look forward to again in future years. The enjoyment of being part of the team made it hard for her to want to go home, but it goes to show the opportunities and friendships that this sport can bring. Jump in and give it a go, you never know where your artistic journey will take you!
A highlight for the Artistic Swimming Australia community was to see our Senior National Team compete. This was the first competition for the team, kicking off their season before they attended this year’s World Cup events in Canada and China, and the upcoming World Aquatics Championships to be held in Singapore in July.
We wish the team the best of luck! It was also great seeing more males in attendance at the event, and showcasing their strength and development in such a short timeframe.
Athlete Christian Hoper reflected on the event with enthusiasm, “The 2025 Artistic Swimming Nationals in Melbourne were my second Championships. It was an amazing experience and a great opportunity for learning and growth. I was able to gain much-needed experience competing at a high level while making many friends alone the way. As a male athlete, it was awesome to have Giorgio, the world number one male soloist, in attendance and see him put on a breathtaking display”.
This year, an initiative commenced by ASA last year was continued with the presentation and recognition of National Team Members past and present. All athletes named on a Senior National Team who have competed at an Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, or World Cup event have been awarded an athlete number in recognition of their selection onto the team, and commitment to the sport and their teams over the years.
This year 10 local athletes were presented their Athlete Pins at the Welcome Event. It was great to see all the athletes taking part in the Championships gathered around to congratulate and to get to know some of Artistic Swimming Australia’s Athlete Alumni - those that came before them and idols in the sport.
A very special pin was presented to Donella Freeman, our very first Olympian who represented Australia in both the Solo and Duet events at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Not only was Donella presented with her pin (#1) at this event, but she also was competing at the event in the Masters category. Her love and passion for the sport still shines bright to this day and she is a pleasure to watch in the water.
Donella was honoured to receive the recognition and had this to say, “It was a very special moment for me. The reason I keep swimming is that it’s a great way to keep fit, and I am drawn to the creativity and fun of the sport - it keeps me going. Competitions are always a highlight and so motivating, they make us put our training first. I have been swimming together with the girls (Crissy and Karen) since 2002. It’s time for ourselves and something of our own”. Congratulations to Donnella, you are an inspiration to all.
After the event, the results were collated, and the Club Championship trophy was awarded to the Gold Coast Mermaids. This was their 7th year in a row taking out the title – what an achievement! We sat down with Head Coach Marina Kholod to reflect on the event and club's achievement.
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ASA: How do you do it? What does it take to make a successful club?
MK: “It takes a lifelong passion for sport, accumulated knowledge, and a great support team. Probably the best way to run a large and successful program is to create a structured program and stick to it no matter what.”
ASA: Athletes of all ages were seen competing for the club - do you have a favourite event or age group to work with?
MK: “Each age group has pros and cons …U10 are very cute, U12 a bit more challenging as they start to develop their sports personalities, Youth is the most rapid growth and high potential developing group, and I would say it is my favourite group to work with. Juniors, Seniors, and Masters are great as they are all adults and know what they want in the sport, but along with sport, they need to juggle school, university, and work commitments, which puts high pressure on their time management.”
ASA: Was there a standout performance for you this year?
MK: “I would say all athletes performed at their best, but my absolute favourite was Youth combo – with the new rules and difficulty dominance in our sport, combo and acro are the only routines with unlimited creativity. I enjoyed choosing the theme, creating the costumes and choreography for this routine, and seeing it all come together at this event. I loved the creative contribution form the team as well.”
ASA: Along with your coaching achievements, you are also a highly decorated judge in Australia - how was it to step back from this role and focus on the event as a coach. What did this mean to you and your team?
MK: It meant a lot to all of us. For more than 10 years, I was involved in literally everything at Nationals, and it wasn’t easy. Long days of judging, officiating, meeting,s and coaching in between would leave me completely exhausted and emotionally unable to cherish the results and share the successes of my team. This year, I fully enjoyed Nationals! Being on deck whenever my athletes needed me, standing proud as a coach and to see their swims, celebrate victories, and handle the defeats – this is what this job is about, is this is what it means to be a coach.”
ASA: Do you have any words of wisdom for the Artistic Swimming Australia community - coaches, athletes and/or parents?
MK: “Remember to enjoy, balance, and reflect on your achievements. Celebrate every little win, cry if you feel like it, plan your sports journey, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if needed.”
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The Club Championship results can be seen below:
Club Name Total Points
Gold Coast Mermaids (GCM) 462 (PICTURED)
West Coast Splash (WCS) 267
Golden Fish (GF) 256.86
Sydney Emeralds (SE) 249
Neptunes (NEP) 173
Supernova (SUP) 168
Insync (INS) 109.64
Eastern Sirens (ES) 105.5
PLC Aquatic (PLC) 90
Northern Beaches Sapphires (NB) 82
Aqualina (AQ) 47
Congratulations to all participants and thank you again to the organising committee and all volunteers involved.
A very special shout out to our officials – judges and technical controllers. Without everyone’s involvement, hard work and dedication to the sport, events like this are not possible.
We look forward to seeing everyone again at next years event to be held in Sydney, Australia (*exact dates TBC). | 
