Three-time World Championships medallist Gustavo Sanchez will lead a 14-strong Colombia squad at the first-ever Artistic Swimming World Cup to be staged in the South American city, from 13-15 February.
Just over 12 months ago, highly-acclaimed, history-making Colombian Gustavo Sanchez was celebrating being crowned World Aquatics’ Male Artistic Swimmer of the Year, following an outstanding campaign.
After becoming the first athlete from not only his nation, but also his continent of South America, to win a World Championships medal in the sport when he claimed silver at Fukuoka 2023, he then built on that success with double bronze at Doha 2024.
The year would also see him claim Men’s Solo Free gold and Mixed Duet Free, with partner Emily Minante, at the Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final.
However, in early 2025 he contracted a severe case of Dengue haemorrhagic fever, an acute infectious disease caused by a virus, which left him struggling physically and unable to train.
Sanchez fought hard to recover, but thoughts about how-best to salvage preparations for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore became of secondary concern after learning that a close relative had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome.
The autoimmune condition causes muscle weakness and potentially paralysis and Sanchez chose to focus on supporting his family. With encouragement from them, though, he would later make it to Singapore, but placed seventh in each of his individual disciplines.
"It was tough and I thought my time had passed," admitted the 25-year-old to news outlet ‘El Colombiano.com’ in his homeland.
“That’s when the thoughts of retirement came in. I experienced the other side of the sport.”
Sanchez admitted in a social media post that he had experienced “mental blocks” as well as “strange” emotions during the competition, which had led to him experiencing “fear and insecurity” for the first time in his career.
The Colombian sought refuge in Asia and a series of ‘returning to nature’ experiences across Thailand and Indonesia helped ‘liberate’ his mind, body and soul.
“I felt free,” he wrote. “I finally chose to let go and the biggest lesson this leaves me is that if you are not okay first on the inside, you will never be okay on the outside.”
The break not only revitalised his mental, but also physical strength and Sanchez enters 2026 with a “completely different energy.”
Last year, honestly, it was quite a tough year for me with too many challenges, but I am also an athlete and bad times lead to good times,” he tells World Aquatics.
“We are going to recover what we have lost. I feel we are going to go very far and I’m super happy to be here and represent Colombia.
Sanchez, who will contest both Men’s Solo and Mixed Duet contests in Medellin, says he has “very high expectations” for the first Artistic Swimming World Cup stop of the season.
“We’ve trained very, very hard during those hours of the day, when the sun is intense, so I feel that all those sacrifices will be reflected in this competition.
“We’re going to host a great World Cup here in Colombia and I would invite everyone to come down and watch us because we have some of the best countries in the world here, as well as Olympic medallists, so come and enjoy this beautiful sport!”
Among the high-profile athletes returning to elite artistic swimming action for the first time since Singapore 2025 is Olympic silver medallist Izzy Thorpe (GBR).
The 24-year-old contested the Mixed Duet disciplines for the first time in her career last year, with her regular duet partner Kate Shortman (GBR) having opted to take a sabbatical from the sport following their exertions at Paris 2024.
Together with European champion Ranjuo Tomblin (GBR), the pair dazzled on the World Cup circuit before claiming their nation’s first-ever artistic swimming World Championship honour in a Mixed discipline, with Mixed Duet Free bronze.
Shortman is still easing back into the sport, so Thorpe and Tomblin will reunite in Medellin ahead of a season where they aim to further build on their breakthrough season.
“I’m really excited to swim the Mixed Duet and to show our new Tech routine in particular because it’s a samba-theme which we hope will go down well in Colombia,” Thorpe told World Aquatics.”
“I’m also looking forward to seeing all the other competitors as it’s early in the season and it’s a chance to see where everyone is at, not just in Mixed Duet, but also the Duet which I’ll be swimming later in the season.”
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.