Synchro success demands style and endurance
One of the delights of being part of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s team at the Olympics is learning a whole new sport from scratch.
In my five summer Games so far, I've managed to glean at least a working knowledge of , , , and (to name just a few).
Clearly I'm never going to become an expert, but my aim is always to try and make unfamiliar sports accessible to an audience who only watches them once every four years, while at the same time not infuriating the cognoscenti who've devoted their lives to those sports, often without any recognition.
So for me, the road to 2012 began in earnest at the weekend, at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.
Synchronised Swimming. It's one of those sports which attracts a predictable response.
"What's with the nose-clips? And the lipstick? And the fixed smiles? It's an entertainment, not a sport, surely?"