by #LizPublika
In September of 1998, Metro ran an article by Gina Arnold titled as follows: “If anyone can help synchronized swimming evolve from circus act to athletic event, it's male contender Bill May. But the officials at the Pan American Games and the Olympics are going to have to let him in the pool first.” Twenty-six years later, American artistic swimmer Bill May took his long-awaited chances at making it to the Olympic Games taking place in Paris this summer, because he was finally allowed to participate.
Born in Syracuse, New York, on January 17th, 1979, May’s journey to becoming one of the greatest synchronized swimmers in the history of the artistic sport kicked off when he was 10 years old. At the time, May and his sister were enrolled in competitive swimming, but she was eager to try a synchro class that took place right after. “It was either try it with her or sit outside the pool and watch her,” recalled May in a previously published interview, “so my mom told me to try it, just to be in the water and be doing something.”
May began taking lessons and later performed with a local team called the Syracuse Synchro Cats. After the Cats disbanded, he performed with the Oswego Lakettes. He moved to Santa Clara, California, in 1996, when he was 16 years old; there, he tried out for the prestigious Santa Clara Aquamaids, the most highly rated synchronized swimming program in the country. May was first accepted into its junior A squad, and then promoted to the “A” team. This is where he started making a name for himself at the national level.
His rise in the sport has a lot to do with artistic swimming coach Chris Carver, who was one of the best in the business. The trainer of the “A” team, described as a “pleasant looking woman dressed casually in shorts and T-shirt,” reportedly had an authoritative and dominant demeanor, which seems to have yielded undisputed results. It was her idea to pair Bill May with Kristina Lum. Together, they won the duet event at the US national championships in 1998, and followed up with a silver medal at the Goodwill Games that same year.
May hoped to compete in the 1999 Pan American Games but there was not yet a male or mixed category in Synchronized Swimming. It was around this time that Metro ran Arnold’s article. To be fair, though, May did get to compete in events sanctioned by the International Swimming Federation (FINA). In 1999, he finished first in duet at the Swiss Open and French Open. He won the Grand Slam at the 2000 Jantzen Nationals and was named the US Synchronized Swimming Athlete of the Year in 1998 and 1999.
Having achieved the maximum of what was possible where it was permissible, May decided to carry over his love of art and performance to a different venue. And so, in 2008, he performed in Cirque du Soleil's water-based show, O. But never one to take his eyes off the prize, May remained hopeful about returning to competitive artistic swimming. His patience paid off in 2015, when men were finally allowed to compete in major events. So, after a 10-year retirement, he became the first man ever to win gold in the evolving sport.
The victory took place on July 26th, when May, along with his partner Christina Jones, won gold for the mixed duet technical routine at the World Aquatic Championships in Kazan, Russia. And even though Russia’s Aleksandr Maltsev and his partner Darina Valitova would defeat May and his partner Kristina Lum in the mixed duet free routine just a few days later, May and Lum would finish second and win the silver. In July 2023, at age 44, May became the first American man to win a world team medal, joining the U.S. team that claimed silver in the acrobatic routine. Other victories followed.
Although it’s a well known fact that synchronized swimming is historically dominated by women, many don’t know that it wasn’t always the case, as male swimmers were welcome to join when the sport first emerged, but few actually did so long term. This isn’t lost on Bill May, who often has to defend his eagerness to make a historical mark in elite competition events reserved for female athletes, until recently. Unfortunately, the dream of making it to the Olympics didn’t pan out as he’d hoped, with zero men being admitted to the official team roster.
This, however, does not change the massive and important impact May has made in the sport, with many still regarding him as one of its best. ARTpublika Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing Bill May to learn a little bit more about the man and the athlete.
If trying out synchronized swimming was your mom’s suggestion, what made you enjoy it and keep coming back?
My sister Courtney wanted to try synchronized swimming one winter at the YMCA. I actually didn't know anything about the sport. However, over the summer, there was another class at a local city pool. She once again wanted to try. We had always done competitive swimming over the summer for fun, so we did it that year also. Since my sister wanted to try synchronized swimming, I decided to try it with her, rather than sitting out and doing nothing.
There were other guys, so it didn't ever cross my mind that it was a female dominated sport. I was the absolute worst. I didn't understand anything, nor did I know that there was a year-round club in the city that I was from. At the end of the summer, even though I was terrible, the coach recruited all of us to join her team. Her name is Dee O'Hara, and I still speak with her very frequently; she came to the inaugural introduction of the Mixed Duet at the World Championships in 2015.
I would love to say [that] I chose to do Artistic Swimming, but in reality it chose me, somehow. I love the sport and look forward to being involved in [it] for the rest of my life. I love the creativity. There are many challenges and difficulties, but that is what makes it exciting. I love the opportunity to perform and show just how special this sport can be. Currently I am training with a team, which I haven't done since 2004, so this is all new to me — new, and a learning experience.
Can you tell us a little bit about your experiences with the Santa Clara Aquamaids? How was this experience different from your experiences with the Syracuse Synchro Cats and the Oswego Lakettes?
I’ve received so many incredible lessons, and [have had so many] amazing experiences with the Syracuse Synchro Cats and the Oswego Lakettes. They gave me the fundamentals that are still important to me today. The coaches still support me, and we talk very regularly. The difference with these clubs, compared to Santa Clara, was that they did not have the same type of opportunities or experience that the larger clubs have had.
Santa Clara Artistic Swimming is one of the largest clubs in the world. They have the most experienced coaches, offer almost six or seven times the amount of pool hours than the clubs in New York, and have more experienced athletes to look up to and learn from.
A coach from a team in Buffalo gave me Chris Carvers' contact information and said: “If you want to continue to improve in the sport, this is the person to contact.” Carver has been my coach for 28 years now. She was the Head coach of the Santa Clara Artistic Swimming Club for 40 years, continues to guide me, mentor me, support me, and love me as a swimmer and a coach. She's not only my coach but also my synchro mom and has been with me for some of the highest highs and saddest moments of my life.
You’ve worked with Kristina Lum at the start of your career and more recently. How have your styles changed over time? How is competing in duets different from competing as a team?
Chris Carver put Kristina Lum and me together to revolutionize the sport of artistic swimming by showcasing a man and a woman swimming together as a mixed duet. This was different from [another type of] duet, which [involves] two females or even two males swimming together. It wasn't necessarily about a man and woman, but about two contrasting forces or two different beings complementing each other while swimming together to create a piece of art that represented beauty and athleticism.
Kristina Lum is one of the most beautiful swimmers I have ever seen in my life. When we were put together, her level was much higher than mine, but she was very caring and patient as we created this new type of swimming, while teaching me to be a better athlete. We were the first mixed duet to compete at a major international competition, which was the Ted Turner Goodwill Games held in 1998. We won a silver medal.
Mixed duets are much different than the team event. It is an opportunity to showcase the [distinctive] strengths of two athletes. The demands are different, the interactions are different, the moves are different, and their choreography can be more intricate. The team event is special, because it's the ultimate camaraderie for a common goal. Currently, I swim with the best team in the world. They are incredible and I am proud to say that this is how I will end my career. [It’s] an opportunity to face one more challenge as a competitive artistic swimmer.
How do you prepare for competition? What do you do to relax? How do you keep focus? How do you handle undesirable results? What kinds of input does your coach have? Who develops the artistic direction of your performances?
I have been competing and training in artistic swimming for 35 years. I'm very fortunate that it gave me many, many years of experience. I still get nervous. I still face the same distractions and stress as any athlete. But I think [years of] experience have helped me handle these pressures in a calmer way. I know my body more, I know what it takes to get myself ready for competition, and I know exactly how hard I need to train to continue to push myself — to continue to learn and grow in the sport. I was also with Cirque du Soleil for 17 years and it helped me perform in a better way that comes more naturally and from the heart. I'm used to performing for thousands of people, and although I get nervous, I feel the support of the audience, which fuels me [and motivates me] to be better in all that I do, without fear.
I have done the same warm up for about 30 years. The consistency helps me block out any distractions, and puts me almost in a tunnel where I know that no matter what is thrown at me from the outside, I stay internally calm.
We all work in partnership with our coaches, figuring out our strengths and how to overcome our weaknesses. This may [include working on] flexibility and strength training, or taking acting classes, or anything that may help our performance reach the next level. Our coaches are our eyes outside of the pool. We're always trying to move faster or be more intricate, more precise, and more athletic. That is why we spend so many hours a day in the pool. That is combined with trying to match seven other people. Or, in the mixed duet event, making sure that it is different from other events, yet still as athletic and strong [as possible].
Is there anything you’d like to share that has not been asked yet?
I'm trying to change the sport to be more inclusive and accepting. I think sports should be open to anyone who has a dream and would like to fulfill that dream. I don't think there's anyone who should dictate what someone would like to do, try, or experience.
Currently, I am the head coach of the Santa Clara Essex swimming team. This past year, most of my work has been remote or [involved] traveling back to Santa Clara from Los Angeles every couple of weeks to [perform] my role as the head coach. But they support me 100%.
I have an opportunity to train with the national team because I know that it is the largest platform that can/will inspire young athletes to try artistic swimming. I want the world to know how inclusive artistic swimming can be.
My career has been long but I'm not even beginning to slow down. Some people may ask about the sacrifices I have made, or what it was like to not be able to compete until recently at the World Championships and the Olympic Games. I don't think I've made a sacrifice. I chose artistic swimming, and only artistic swimming, because I loved it with every part of my soul and will until the day I die. I have no regrets. I know it was the right decision because of the support from my family, my friends, my coaches, and from thousands of people I've never met. This sport has given me my life and I am forever grateful.
Note* Photographs for the article were provided by May's team and used with permission.