Latest news with #OfficialMerlympics2025
Axios
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Indianapolis creative wins gold at Merlympics
When Brenden Hudson discovered the world of mermaiding five years ago, he found it combined his two passions — swimming and costuming. Diving the news: Hudson, a merman performer and marketing director from Indianapolis, was one of six athletes who represented the U.S. last month at the Official Merlympics 2025 in Wolfsburg, Germany. Team USA bested over a dozen other countries to bring home the gold medal. Plus: Hudson won individual gold in the men's competition. What he's saying: "Mermaiding is just really magical," Hudson said, "especially when you see mermaids through the eyes of kids. "Representation is really important for me. These kids don't always get to see boys that sparkle and shine." His mer-sona, Merman Chatravee, also highlights his southeastern Asian heritage. Chatravee is his middle name, given by his Thai mother. State of play: A competitive swimmer through school, Hudson lost touch with the water as an adult but found a passion for drag and cosplay. Mermaiding combined both and he was immediately hooked. Just one problem: Indiana is mostly landlocked. The closest merfolk classes are in Chicago, where he got certified and found a community. Hudson joined with the Windy City Mermaids performance group and helped start the Mermaid Swim Club to train other mermaids on the swimming and athletic aspects of the hobby. Hudson found out he made the U.S. team for the Merlympics in November. His teammates lived in Florida, Utah and Mississippi, so they only had one weekend to practice together in person before heading to Germany last month. How it works: While the Merlympics aren't affiliated with the traditional Olympics, the competition has a similar structure with multiple events for individuals and teams. Along with the synchronized swim, events included: A 50-meter surface swim, testing speed in the monofin (which takes serious core strength). An underwater rescue, emphasizing the merfolk oath of safety. An underwater photo shoot, judging poise and appearance. Hudson's individual choreography was performed to " Carousel" by local singer-songwriter Eric Pedigo.
Axios
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Utah mermaids win gold with Team USA at "Merlympics"
While Utah prepares to host the Winter Olympics in 2034, two of the state's athletes are already winning gold under the sea. The big picture: Two Utah mermaid performers represented the U.S. last month at the Official Merlympics 2025 in Wolfsburg, Germany. Team USA won the gold medal, besting more than a dozen other countries. How it works: Individual mermaids, mermen and teams compete in events like synchronized swimming, races, an underwater photo shoot to test poise and showmanship without air — and even a rescue event, à la Ariel and Prince Eric. As nature intended, athletes compete while wearing mermaid tails. Zoom in: Mia Sim of Provo and Aurora Miller of South Salt Lake auditioned to join four other merfolk from the U.S. in intense, mostly online video training to learn the synchronized routine. Catch up quick: Mia, who's known online as The Provo Mermaid, donned her first tail when she was a 12-year-old theater kid, learning costume design and special effects. Once she saw the beautiful tails, she was hooked. "I was fishing around Joann's, where I used up all my gift cards as a kid," she told Axios. She'd been performing at kids' birthday parties in pools and splashpads for years when she learned about the fight-to-the-finish, no-holds-barred, shark-eat-shark universe of competitive mermaiding — just in time for the Swiss Merlympics last year. What they're saying:"I'm like, 'I don't know if this is a scam, but I'm just gonna do it,'" Mia said. She won the title of " World's Fastest Mermaid." Meanwhile, Aurora — whose "mersona" is Siren Tephra — joined a friend who wanted to take up mermaiding about five years ago. After some renaissance faire performances, she wanted to up her athletic game. She earned certification as an "advanced mermaid diver" alongside her open-water scuba training. But as for the Merlympics — "this year, I'm a rookie," she told Axios.
Axios
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Tampa Bay's MerMandy helps Team USA win Merlympics gold medal
When Mandy Walker first donned a mermaid tail a couple years ago, she never thought she'd end up competing in it, let alone on the world stage. Why it matters: Walker, a mermaid performer and teacher from Riverview, was one of six athletes who represented the U.S. last month at the Official Merlympics 2025 in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Tampa Bay Times first reported. And the results are in: Team USA brought home the gold medal, besting more than a dozen other countries with teams in the competition. "It was a life-changing experience," Walker, who goes by MerMandy, told Axios. "USA blew first place out of the water. It was clear we worked our butts off — or, you could say, our tails off." State of play: For Walker, 44, that meant training five to six times a week for the last six months, building up her strength and endurance in and out of the water. Swimming with a monofin takes serious core strength. She did it all as a single mom of four and master's student, without a competitive swimming background or a coach. In February, her teammates visited from as far away as Indiana and Utah to practice in Florida together. They drilled their synchronization in the chilly waters of Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest and in the deep end at High 5, an aquatics center in Brandon. Soon, they were off to Germany, arriving a few days ahead of the May 24 competition to practice together a few more times. How it works: While the Merlympics aren't affiliated with the traditional Olympics, the competition has a similar structure with multiple events for individuals and with the synchronized swim, events included: A 50-meter surface swim testing speed. An underwater rescue emphasizing the merfolk oath of safety. An underwater photoshoot judging poise and appearance ("they do say mermaids are vain," Walker joked). Zoom out: They found time to have some fun, too. Team members stayed in the historic Hotel Alter Wolf, where they snapped photos with their tails hanging out the windows. Down the street was Schloss Wolfsburg, a medieval castle where Walker quipped she was just waiting for the moat to fill. The big picture: Mermaid culture has long had a presence in Florida thanks to the famous Weeki Wachee mermaids. But the professional scene has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to social media and the Netflix docuseries " MerPeople." That popularity shined at the competition, Walker said. Folks kept coming up to her saying they followed her on social media. What she's saying:"To meet friends that are now global — that's just mind-boggling and priceless," she said.
