The Medellin Artistic Swimming World Cup can create “generational change” in Colombia, according to the host nation’s aquatic president Jorge Enrique Soto Roldan.
Seven months after a spectacular sporting showcase at Singapore 2025 the best athletes on the planet will return to action with the season-opening World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Colombia.
From 13-15 February the Atanasio Girardot Aquatics Complex in Medellin will host more than 100 athletes, from 20 nations who will battle it out for 33 medals across 11 disciplines.
It will be the first time in the history of the Artistic Swimming World Cup that a stage will be held in the South American country.
It is also just the fourth occasion that Colombia has staged a major international competition of this calibre, following the 1975 World Aquatics Championships in Cali and the Men’s as well as the Women’s Water Polo Challenger Cups in Barranquilla, in 2021.
“It's an honour to host people from many countries around the world, whose hard work, passion and discipline inspire us to dream in the power of sport as a transforming tool of our society,” said Jorge Enrique Soto Roldán, Federación Colombiana de Natación President.
"This event will be the opportunity to display the tenacity, friendship, talent and fair play that defines true champions but most important outstanding citizens for the world"
2026 will be a key year for the field given it will feature high-profile continental championships for those from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
It will also mark the ‘halfway stage’, en route to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
With that in mind, the first Artistic Swimming World Cup of 2026 will feature a host of high-profile athletes looking to make strong starts to the new season.
Three-time World Championships medallists Gustavo Adolfo Sánchez (COL) has claimed 20 Artistic Swimming World Cup honours during his highly decorated career and will be aiming to add to that haul when he contests both Mixed and Men’s Solo disciplines.
The USA’s line-up will feature three of the Olympic silver medal winning athletes from Paris 2024, in the form of Anita Alvarez, Daniella Ramirez and Jaime Czarkowski.
Czarkowski will also feature in the Women’s Duet Technical discipline with 15-year-old three-time World Youth medallists Kanako Field (USA).
Great Britain’s Olympic duet silver medallist Izzy Thorpe and European champion Ranjuo Tomblin enjoyed a stunning debut season, with the pair claiming World Championships Mixed Duet Free bronze and will unite again in Medellin.
Klara Bleyer (GER), winner of the overall Women’s Solo Events title following the conclusion of the Super Final in June last year, will make her season bow in both Solo and Women’s Duet events, alongside Amelie Marianne Blumenthal Haz (GER).
History-making teenager Diego Villalobos (MEX), who has won medals at three successive World Championships, including a landmark Men’s Solo Tech bronze at Singapore 2025, is one of the most recognisable names in a strong Mexican squad, which features 14 athletes.
While the majority of France’s elite team will continue preparations for their home World Cup in March in the homeland, duet Romane Lunel and Laelys Alavez – winners of Free bronze in Markham (CAN) last season, will contest both the Free and Technical events in Colombia.
“The Artistic Swimming World Cup will be an emblematic event, not only for Colombia, but for the America continent,” continued President Jorge Enrique Soto Roldán.
“We expect powerhouses of a high international level such as Mexico, Canada, the United States and Spain, to come and show their best.
“Our Colombian team will have a complete team where we have sought to combine the experience of athletes like Gustavo Sanchez and Emily Mirante, with new athletes who are going through a process to bring about a generational change in our Colombian team.”
For details about how to watch live coverage of the event in Medellin in your territory, CLICK HERE.
Following the first World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup of the season, the series will head to Paris (FRA) 27-29 March, before taking in Xi’an (CHN) 1-3 May, and Pontevedra (ESP) 29-31 May. The Super Final will then take place in Toronto (CAN) from 19-21 June.
For a full look at the programme and schedule for the season, CLICK HERE.