In the sport of artistic swimming (previously known as synchronized swimming), it can already feel like you’re seeing double.
That was certainly the case in the women’s duet technical competition at the 2022 World Championships in Hungary. All three steps of the podium were filled by twin or triplet sisters.
The competition was won by 25-year-old twin sisters Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi of China. Ukraine’s Maryna Aleksiiva and Vladyslava Aleksiiva, 21-year-old twin sisters, claimed silver, while Austria’s Anna-Maria Alexandri and Eirini-Marina Alexandri -- a 24-year-old pair of triplet sisters -- won bronze. (The third Alexandri triplet -- Vasiliki Alexandri -- is also competing at the 2022 World Championships in the solo competitions.)
According to FINA, the international federation that oversees artistic swimming, Sunday’s result marks the first time a world championship podium was swept by twin or triplet sisters.
Artistic swimming at the 2022 World Championships continues this week with the solo free routine, duet free routine, team free routine, and mixed duet competitions.
The three sets of sisters currently lead the way in the duet free routine competition. Heading into Thursday’s final, they are ranked first, second, and third -- in the same order that they finished the technical competition.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JUNE 19: Liuyi Wang and Qianyi Wang of China competes in the Artistic Swimming Women’s Duet Technical Final on day three of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 19, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Nikola Krstic/MB Media/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Austria’s Anna-Maria Alexandri and Austria’s Eirini Alexandri compete to take bronze in the women’s duet technical artistic swimming finals during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 19, 2022. (Photo by Peter Kohalmi / AFP) (Photo by PETER KOHALMI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Follow Alex Azzi on Twitter @AlexAzziNBC