The Spanish Swimming Federation announced in a statement on its official website the early termination of Mayu Fuyiki’s contract as artistic swimming coach and the appointment of Andrea Fuentes in her place. Asked about the reasons behind the change, the president, Fernando Carpena, simply replied that he was referring to “the official statement.”
The announcement does not give any reasons. The results reveal that twelve years later, Spanish synchronised swimming, or “artistic swimming” under the new name of World Aquatics, is still below the level achieved at the London Games. It was precisely in London 2012 that Andrea Fuentes became the most decorated Spanish swimmer in Olympic history, adding two silvers to the bronze and silver she had already achieved in Beijing. The return of the swimmer from Tarragona to the federation, now as a coach, closes a circle and an era of fruitless searching in the strategy designed by the federation. In September 2012, after the Games, the RFEN fired Ana Tarrés for alleged mistreatment of swimmers, reported anonymously and never acknowledged by the courts.
The seventh place in the duet final and the bronze in the team event obtained by Spain at the Paris Games two weeks ago, behind the United States, silver with Andrea Fuentes, and China, double gold with Tarrés, reflected the purely reactive character of a team that long ago lost the avant-garde seal that distinguished it until 2012. Only the sanction against Russia, the hegemonic power in artistic swimming, expelled from the competition due to the war in Ukraine, allowed the Spanish team to get on the podium. The results prompted Carpena to try to hire Andrea Fuentes, whom he has been trying to convince since 2021, according to sources close to the federation.
The official statement referred to by Carpena points to an amicable dissolution of the contract: “After seven years in office with impeccable work, the RFEN announces that Mayuko Fujiki is no longer the coach of the National Artistic Swimming Team. Mayu, who was already in a previous stage in the staff of the national team, has led the evolution of our team to continue progressing at an international level.”
The press release confirms the hiring of Andrea Fuentes: “RFEN would like to announce the arrival of Andrea Fuentes as the new coach of the National Artistic Swimming Team, who arrives hand in hand with Víctor Cano.” Víctor Cano, who was a gymnast on the Spanish Olympic team and is married to Andrea Fuentes, collaborated in the formation of the United States team that won silver in Paris with acrobatics that bore his signature.
“It is an honour for me to become the new leader of the Spanish national team,” Andrea Fuentes said in the statement. “I will do so with the same passion and commitment that have always guided me, seeking to reach the top in an innovative and attractive way for the athlete. Together with Víctor, we will create unforgettable moments, with the intention of contributing something new to the sport and helping its evolution. We are ready to give our best and discover the unique personality of this team, which will undoubtedly fill our hearts every day.”
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