The Spanish synchronised swimming team is finalising its preparations at the CAR in Sant Cugat del Vallès for the European Championship in Paris, where they will reunite with Russia, the historical dominant force, which returns after its suspension.
The Spanish synchronised swimming team is entering the final days of preparation at the CAR in Sant Cugat del Vallès before travelling to Paris, where the European Championship will take place from July 31 to August 5. The major novelty of this continental event will be the return of Russia, the most decorated team in history, which is back in competition after serving a suspension.
Andrea Fuentes, the team's coach, assures that the group is arriving in optimal condition. “We are very prepared. We know that Russia is coming with a 'super team', but we don’t want to feel small and instead want to bring out our aces, because we have many. We are going for it all,” she declared during an open day for the media at the high-performance centre in Vallès.
The swimmer Iris Tió, one of the leaders of the team, also expressed confidence. “I don’t know if Russia thinks we are the team to beat or not. We want to be at our best,” she stated. “We have seen that in some aspects they are drawing inspiration from us, and that fills us with pride. We want to compete against them to raise our level and see how they are, but focused on our own path.”
“I don’t know if Russia thinks we are the team to beat or not. We want to be at our best. We want to compete against them to raise our level and see how they are, but focused on our own path” — Iris Tió
The Spanish team consists of Iris Tió, Dennis González, Paula Ramírez, Marina García Polo, Alisa Ozhogina, Mireia Hernández, Carla Lorenzo, Lilou Lluís, Sara Saldaña, Jordi Cáceres, Cristina Arámbula, Txell Ferré, and Aurora Lázaro. They have all been working intensively for months to arrive in the best condition for the European Championship.
Andrea Fuentes explained that this year has been different. “This year has been very interesting. Unlike 2025, we have competed much less,” she noted. “We have made an internal leadership change, with a change in captaincy because Paula Ramírez is retiring soon. All team members have gradually been finding their personalities within the team.”
The team has not only trained but has also continued to cultivate public support. Fuentes highlighted the importance of going beyond sporting results. “We have worked a lot at home, in the Canary Islands, in Pontevedra, in clubs... It’s very nice to see the support we have received from people, to see how synchronised swimming has grown in the country. It’s lovely for the kids to see the support they have,” she expressed gratitude.
The coach insisted that the goal goes beyond medals. “We know we are not football or basketball, but we have a lot of attention. When we arrived, we not only wanted to win but to create a brand of values,” she reiterated. “That provides fuel for many more years and is more important. We wanted to do something more, and I think we are achieving it. That’s why we are generating excitement, because there is more than just results.”
Managing success and preparing for the European Championship
Being a reference also means managing expectations. “The expectations are to give our maximum and improve compared to last year,” indicated Iris Tió. “We want to show that we are a strong team.”
Andrea Fuentes acknowledged that the path has not been easy. “At first, there was a bit of a crisis in managing success and external expectations. But it has been good for the team’s growth,” she reflected. “It has been tough because we didn’t find our way until the World Cup in Pontevedra at the end of May. But I have enjoyed growing together, discovering aspects like managing success, which seems easy but isn’t, due to how we have strengthened from this.”
“At first, there was a bit of a crisis in managing success and external expectations. It has been tough because we didn’t find our way until the World Cup in Pontevedra at the end of May” — Andrea Fuentes
The team has worked intensively on both the physical and artistic aspects. “Beyond the artistic side, we have worked a lot on the elements and the physical part, so we want to show a lot of energy to express that quality of ours, which is the artistic part,” explained Iris Tió. “We are very prepared. It has been a very long season in which we haven’t competed much. We have focused a lot on preparing the physical and choreography aspects, and with that, we are going to the European Championship with a lot of energy.”
One of the highlights of the season was the presentation of the acrobatic routine at the World Cup in Pontevedra, which generated great anticipation. Although the choreography was not completed, the team took it as a learning experience. Spain has established itself as one of the world powers, and now seeks to continue growing in Paris.
The European Championship in Paris will be the first major event of the year, and the Spanish team is confident in rising to the occasion against the return of Russia. The competition will start on July 31 and will run until August 5, with all eyes on the showdown between the two great powers of synchronised swimming.
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