Ahmedabad, Oct 7 (NationPress) For the past eight years, Thailand has relied on the expertise of Italian siblings Claudia Tapparelli, head coach, and Massimo Tapparelli, assistant coach, to enhance the nation’s artistic swimming program.

During the ongoing 11th Asian Aquatics Championships 2025 at the newly inaugurated Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, the coaching duo has been fervent supporters, enthusiastically cheering for their team.

Remarkably, their excitement has resonated with the Indian audience, many of whom are experiencing live artistic swimming for the first time. Captivated by the energetic music, vibrant routines, and the athletic elegance of the competitors, local spectators have contributed to an electrifying atmosphere.

“We extend our gratitude to India for hosting the Asian Aquatics Championships, as it's challenging to find competitions in Asia where athletes can truly benchmark themselves against others. It's also more feasible and economical for countries in the region to participate in Asian events, which provides athletes with invaluable experience. The support from spectators has been overwhelming, and it's heartening to see children dancing in the stands. Although India is merely hosting artistic swimming this time, this exposure can undoubtedly inspire youth to take up the sport,” said Claudia.

Artistic swimming, one of the most visually stunning aquatic disciplines, requires tremendous strength, control, and coordination. Similar to diving, athletes must declare their maneuvers in advance and are scored based on their execution, synchronization, artistic impression, and difficulty.

Reflecting on the evolution of Thai artistic swimming, Claudia stated, “In Italy, artistic swimming is quite prominent, with nearly every city hosting two or three clubs, totaling around 300 nationwide. However, in Thailand, we have only two clubs. Most of our national athletes have been developed from the ground up. Some have transitioned from swimming or water polo and have been trained to reach this level.”

Thailand has already made a significant mark in Ahmedabad, with Kantinan Adisaisiributr and Pongpimporn Pongsuwan securing the gold medal in the Mixed Duet Technical event on Sunday, while Adisaisiributr partnered with Supitchaya Songpan to clinch gold in the Mixed Duet Free the following day. The Thai team also earned Silver medals in both the Team Technical and Team Free categories, marking their most successful performance in recent history.

“At the last World Cup in Egypt, we actually defeated Italy in the mixed duet, which made us immensely proud,” Claudia remarked with a smile. “When we started, we had just four athletes. Now, there are around 50 to 60 across the country. COVID posed a significant setback due to prolonged pool closures, resulting in the loss of an entire generation of potential athletes, but the progress since then has been encouraging, and we are thrilled with our performances here.”