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Russian synchronised swimming champion Aleksandr Maltsev knew he wanted to become a synchronised swimmer after his parents enrolled him in a group at a local sports school, aged seven. Now aged 23, he’s a two-time World Champion, a four-time European champion and the first man to represent Russia in mixed-gender synchronised swimming at world championship level.

Being male, in what is a predominantly female sport, hasn’t always been easy, with some female synchronised swimmers arguing it should stay a female-only sport, and others suggesting that it is not a sport that ‘real’ men should do. However, Aleksandr is unfazed, and remains a vocal advocate of gender-equality in the sport - his aim being to get men to compete at the next Olympics as a part of the mixed duet.

Alina Isachenka meets Aleksandr in Moscow on one of his days off, which he decides to spend looking at paintings by one of his favourite artists, Frida Kahlo. She then travels with him to the closed sports base on the outskirts of the city, where Aleksandr lives and trains from dawn until dusk with his mixed duet partner Maya Gurbanberdieva, and their perfectionist coach. It’s here, in and around the pool they practice in, that Alina gains unique insight into the process of creating - what is hoped will be - a gold-winning routine for the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series taking place in Kazan in April.

(Image: Synchronised swimming champion Aleksandr Maltsev, with kind permission)