An Olympic aquatic sport, women's synchronized swimming has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1984. International Olympic Committee: Synchronized Swimming

Two sets of synchronized swimming medals were awarded, one team and one duet, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The synchronized swimming events were held from August 18 to August 23, 2008, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games: Synchronized SwimmingRussia won the gold medal in the duet and team competitions. Spain captured the silver medals in each event. Japan won the bronze medal in the duet competition, while China took home bronze in the team event.NBC Olympics: Duet Free Routine - Final - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

After appearing as a demonstration sport at the Olympics from 1948 to 1968, synchronized swimming was introduced as a full medal sport at the 1984 Summer Olympics. International Olympic Committee: Synchronized Swimming At the 1984, 1988 and 1992 games, medals were awarded to the top solo and duet swimmers. In 1996, those events were replaced with an eight-person team event. The duet competition was reintroduced in 2000 and has been contested alongside the team event in the years since.International Olympic Committee: Synchronized Swimming History

Brazilian identical twins Bia and Branca Feres are competing as synchronized swimmers in the 2008 Summer Olympics. In addition to being Olympic swimmers, the twins are models and have appeared on the cover of the Spanish-language magazine VIP. The sisters were born in Rio de Janeiro and studied in Seattle, Washington in 2004 and 2005 as exchange students at Roosevelt High School.

• Christina Jones

• Andrea Nott

• • Note: All times in China Standard Time