Men’s artistic swimming continued its rapid rise in 2025, with European athletes achieving landmark results at world, continental, junior and youth level. Breakthrough medals, historic partnerships and the emergence of a new generation ensured the discipline took another step forward in visibility and competitiveness.
Spain’s success at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore last July and August extended to the men’s programme, where Dennis Gonzalez partnered Iris Tio Casas to win gold in the mixed duet free. It was a landmark result for Europe, confirming Spain’s strength across both men’s and women’s events. González also earned silver in the mixed duet technical alongside Mireia Hernández, while Italy’s Filippo Pelati secured his first world medal with bronze in the men’s solo free. Pelati and Lucrezia Ruggiero combined for bronze in the mixed duet technical, adding further European presence to the global podium.
Neutral athletes Aleksandr Maltsev, who led the way with both world titles in the men’s events, and Mayya Gurbanberdieva took gold in the mixed duet technical, with Gonzalez and Hernández second. Great Britain’s Ranjuo Tomblin and Isabelle Thorpe claimed bronze in the mixed duet free behind Maltsev and Olesia Platonova. Spain added further distinction with bronze medals in all three team competitions, while Pelati’s solo free bronze marked a breakthrough moment for the 18‑year‑old Italian.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, carried on with his pioneering efforts in team events, with his sights set on the 2028 LA Olympics. He earned world bronze in the acrobatic and free team routines.
The European Aquatics Artistic Swimming Championships in Funchal provided another showcase for male competitors. Continental medals confirmed Europe’s strength in solo and duet categories, with athletes from Spain, Italy, Great Britain and France all contributing to a growing competitive field. Tomblin took a memorable title in the men’s solo technical – while Spain’s Jordi Carceres followed suit in the solo free. Pelati took a brace of silver medals across the two events, with Tomblin and Gonzalez taking bronze medals in the solo free and solo technical respectively.
Ukraine, France and Israel were other countries who made the trip to the podium over the week’s competition at the beginning of June, as the athletes geared up for the summer.
Athens hosted the European Aquatics Junior Artistic Swimming Championships, where emerging male athletes made the most of their newfound presence on the continental stage. The competition highlighted Europe’s strong pipeline of talent, with junior competitors stepping confidently onto the continental stage and demonstrating the ambition to follow in the footsteps of senior medallists. The neutral athletes and Spain dominated procedings, with the former just edging the Spaniards out on the medal table, with Great Britain also putting in a good showing for third place.
The World Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships in Athens produced one of the year’s standout stories. France’s 14‑year‑old Macéo Vanhee‑Dedieu, son of three‑time world champion Virginie Dedieu, won two golds and a bronze, including a dominant victory in the men’s solo free. The neutral athletes and Spain also featured on the men’s and mixed podiums, as the short competition provided the young athletes with invaluable competition experience.
With the men’s artistic swimming calendar ever-growing as its presence in aquatics increases, Europe’s athletes are more than capable of extending their presence on the world stage in the years to come.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
