On July 21, Synchro Knights Artistic Swimming Club teamed up with ex-international water polo player Mark Galea Pace, founder of Coast is Clear, to host a beach and water clean-up event. This first-of-its-kind initiative in Malta saw enthusiastic participation from young athletes, parents and coaches, highlighting the community’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
The event started with athletes aged five to 16, their parents and Synchro Knights coaches undertaking a beach clean-up along the rocky shores of Sliema. While the younger participants focused on cleaning the shore, older athletes used their swimming skills to dive underwater, collecting debris while holding their breath.
The collective effort resulted in the removal of 12 large garbage bags filled with cigarette butts, beer cans, plastic bottles, wrappers and substantial underwater debris such as large metal pieces and various plastics.
Meanwhile, the 12&Under and Juniors teams showcased their artistic swimming talents against the backdrop of the setting sun during the last evening of the Sliema Arts Festival, at Independence Gardens, with two team routines, two solos and a duet.
Synchro Knights Artistic Swimming Club, registered with the Aquatic Association of Malta (ASA) and SportsMalta, boasts 80 members, eight coaches and two apprentice coaches. The club, which trains at the National Pool of Tal-Qroqq, offers programmes for both boys and girls, though it is particularly popular among girls. Training sessions for older groups range from three to six times a week, emphasising commitment and focus.
The club’s programmes cater to a wide age range, starting from novice swimmers as young as five to 18-year-olds in the Juniors Team, many of whom represent Malta in national and international competitions with remarkable success.
Artistic swimming, an Olympic sport, combines synchronised choreography with music, requiring a unique blend of strength, agility, grace, and artistic expression. Routines involve teamwork, power, synchronisation, and dramatic performance, often featuring acrobatic highlights or “lifts” where athletes are propelled above the water.
For more information about Synchro Knights Artistic Swimming Club or to join their efforts in promoting environmental sustainability and artistic sports, visit their Facebook page and Instagram account.
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