‘Snake ecstasy’: Russian synchronized swimming champion charms fans with underwater routine (VIDEO)
Russian Olympic synchronized swimming champion Vlada Chigireva has wowed her fans with a graceful and mesmerizing underwater routine.
In a 30-second video, clip the 25-year-old swimmer can be seen waving and twirling at the bottom of a swimming pool, making choreographed moves which she compared to a snake’s wriggle.
“New type of dance – snake ecstasy,” the athlete captioned the video as she shared it on her Instagram page. “Soon we will organize the first world championship,” she joked, asking her followers to name the new sport she had created.
Chigireva, who possesses 11 world titles and three European ones in addition to the Olympic gold, underwent knee surgery last year before returning to the national team and helping her cohorts earn an Olympic license.
Russian synchronized swimmers – usually dubbed ‘mermaids’ by fans – have been unbeaten for five Olympic cycles, winning at every Summer Games since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Next summer in Tokyo they are planning to defend their title in duo and team events – the only disciplines represented at the Olympic tournament.