The Israeli national artistic swimming team wrapped up their participation at the World Championships in Singapore with a 12th-place finish in the team technical final, having qualified for the event with a strong showing in the preliminary round.
The Israeli squad advanced to the final with a score of 241.8292 points, ranking 11th out of 26 participating countries – just enough to secure a spot among the top 12 finalists.
The team delivered a confident and cohesive routine with no deductions in the difficulty category, showcasing sharp execution and impressive height in their movements. Their smooth transitions and strong presence contributed to a solid artistic impression score, helping them reach the much-anticipated final.
Israel's performance
With 22 teams having completed their preliminary routines, Israel sat in eighth place, anxiously awaiting the last few results. When Australia wrapped up its routine and landed below Israel in the rankings, the Israeli squad officially clinched a place in the final – setting off celebratory cheers from the athletes and coaching staff.
Eight female swimmers and one male swimmer participated in the routine: Ariel Nassi (Hapoel Jerusalem), Aya Mazor (A.L.H. Mazkeret Batya), Yogev Dagan – the team’s only male athlete (Maccabi Gderot), Shaiya Shar-Shalom (A.L.H. Mazkeret Batya), Ya’ara Sharabi (A.L.H. Mazkeret Batya), Sasha Lerman (Greater Jerusalem), Lior Makmel (A.L.H. Mazkeret Batya), and Keti Konin (Hapoel Jerusalem).
Before the team even departed for Singapore, coaches Valeria Aprillova and Alina Khelamsky had set a clear objective: to reach at least one final across the four events in which Israel would compete. That goal was met with their qualification in the team technical final.
However, they narrowly missed out on advancing in the free team routine, finishing 13th in the preliminary round – just one place shy of the cutoff for the final.
In Tuesday’s final, the Israeli team slightly improved on their earlier score with 245.2975 points, but still finished 12th out of 12 teams. The gap in score was notable, as China claimed the gold with 307.8001 points.
While the final result may have fallen short of expectations, there were still positives to take away from the competition. Chief among them was Nassi, the 21-year-old standout who also competed at the Paris Olympics. Nassi continues to raise Israel’s profile in artistic swimming and has recently secured a major sponsorship deal.
GIGI Laboratories, a prominent Israeli dermo-cosmetic company known for supporting women in sports, announced a one-year sponsorship agreement with Nassi, naming her a brand ambassador.
“At GIGI, we believe that investing in sports, excellence, and quality Israeli representation on the international stage is part of our commitment to society and the community,” the company told Israeli outlet ONE Sport.
GIGI praised Nassi as a symbol of professionalism, perseverance, and excellence – values that have guided the company for over 65 years.
“Ariel is an inspiration to many, and we are proud to support her professional journey and to be part of her continued success, as well as that of the entire team,” the statement exclaimed.
GIGI Laboratories remains a leading brand in dermo-cosmetics both in Israel and abroad and continues to promote innovation, empowerment, and female leadership – not only in labs and clinics but also in sport, culture, and the broader community.