History has been made at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, as men competed in synchronized swimming(花样游泳) for the first time .

There was nothing in the world that could prevent July 26, 2015 from being the best day in Bill May’s life. The 36-year-old American synchronized swimmer became the first male world champion in mixed synchronized swimming.

“It’s something that I have dreamed of my entire life,” said May. His partner Christina Jones believed “this is the future of synchronized swimming”.

Synchronized swimming has been an Olympic sport since 1984, but only as an event for women. Nevertheless, men kept training in the hope that a chance might come for them to compete at the top international level, at the Olympics or the World Championships.

“Men’s choreography(舞蹈编排) is different from women’s. It is a completely different style. In a mixed duet(混双项目) the man should personify strength and power The woman, on the contrary, beauty and grace,” Russian male synchronized swimmer Alexander Maltsev said.

However, some people still believe that synchronized swimming should be a sport purely for women. Although men are stronger, they are less flexible so it is harder to get the necessary extension in: the legs. Buoyancy(浮力) is also an issue. The sport is very difficult for men in general, because men don’t actually float like women.

As times have changed, women now can compete in every category of sport at the Olympics, but there still remain two that are closed off to men-synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics(艺术体操).

Some see FINA’s change as a sign that the International Olympic Committee(IOC)may also be ready to include mixed duets soon. Nevertheless, the IOC says that it will only consider adopting male synchronized swimming after a formal request from FINA and no such request has ever been made.

It may take many years for the IOC to open the door to male synchronized swimming but if and when it does, one thing is certain. “If synchronized swimming went to the Olympics, I would definitely be there to compete,” said Bill May, “even if I am 85. ”

Derek Rabelo is not the only surfer (冲浪手) to conquer Hawaii’s famous Pipeline big wave break, but while all others use their sight to do it, this young professional surfer must rely only on his other senses. That’s because he is completely blind.

When Derek was born, over 24 years ago, he got his name from Derek Ho, the first Hawaiian surfing world champion. A surfing enthusiast himself, Ernesto dreamed that his son would share the talent of his uncle, a professional surfer. Unfortunately, Derek was born completely blind, but this didn't stop his family from believing that he could do anything he wanted, even if that meant becoming a surfer.

At age 2, Derek received a bodyboard and the beaches of Guarapari, Brazil, became his backyard. He was always comfortable in the water and surfing was in his blood, but he didn't actually try riding a wave until he turned 17, when his father bought him a surfboard. His father taught him the basics and encouraged him to keep practising, but after successfully standing up on the surfboard, Derek knew he needed to become much better if he was going to achieve Ernesto's dream and become a professional surfer. So he joined the Praia do Moroo surf school, where he studied under coach Fabio Maru.

Standing up on a surfboard and conquering small waves is one thing, while gathering the courage to take on Hawaii's board—breaking Pipeline is another. But that's exactly what Derek Rabelo set out to do just months after learning how to surf. Everyone told him it was too dangerous, but he felt he could do it. And he did, earning the praise of famous professional surfers like Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning. Now 24, Rabelo has been surfing the Pipeline every winter since.

Hangzhou, China — a grand opening ceremony full of Hangzhou characteristics amazed the world on Saturday, as President Xi Jinping announced the 19th Asian Games open.

The opening show helped to express the host’s warm hospitality and its wish to unite the world through sports. Following an opening performance about the autumn equinox (秋分), one of China’s 24 solar terms that celebrates the harvest season, over 50,000 audiences burst into cheers as Xi declared the opening of the Hangzhou Games, making the Zhejiang provincial capital the third Chinese city to host the continental sporting gala, following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.

Wang Hao president of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou Organizing Committee, said Hangzhou is honored to play host to such a grand event, which started on September 23rd. Raja Randhir Singh, the acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia, showed appreciation for the Chinese host’s meticulous (细心的) organization in his speech. “You have done a great job in preparing for the Asian Games. The one-year delay due to the pandemic was a pity, but your determination will bear fruit over the next 16 days and you will be rewarded with the most wonderful and successful Asian Games ever,” said Singh.

Supported by new technologies, the Hangzhou ceremony created many historic firsts. For the first time in China, organizers changed from a traditional fireworks show to a virtual display, projected (放映) onto a giant curtain screen the size of nine IMAX screens. For the first time in lighting the main cauldron, hundreds of millions of virtual sparks, each standing for a participant of the online torch relay, formed the shape of a human torchbearer (火炬手), who ran into the stadium (体育馆) to finish the task with the physical relay’s final bearer — Zhejiang native and Olympic champion swimmer, Wang Shun.

The technologies were not just used for the ceremony. During the whole period, zero-emission clean methanol (甲醇) was used for the torches. The electric vehicles were used to transport officials, athletes and the audiences. The devices in the stadiums were specially designed to save energy.