Synchronized Swimming Judge Gives Perfect Score to Woman Who Was Just Drowning

A synchronized swimming judge at a regional qualifier in Tampa has awarded a perfect 10.0 to a woman who had fallen into the competition pool from the spectator stands and was, by all medical accounts, drowning. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Patricia Lungful, slipped on a wet tile near the bleachers during a break between routines and tumbled into the deep end. Her frantic movements — which witnesses described as 'desperate,' 'panicked,' and 'absolutely terrifying' — were interpreted by Judge #4, Renata Pirouette, as 'a stunning solo free routine of remarkable emotional intensity.' 'The raw vulnerability of the performance was unlike anything I've seen in thirty years of judging,' Pirouette wrote on her scorecard. 'The gasping for air conveyed genuine struggle. The thrashing of the limbs suggested a profound internal conflict. And the moment the lifeguards entered the water — interpreting that as a synchronized duet transition was a stroke of genius.' The other four judges, who correctly identified the situation as a drowning, did not submit scores. One was seen leaving the judges' table to assist with the rescue. Lungful was pulled from the pool by two lifeguards and treated for water inhalation. She was released from the hospital Thursday and expressed confusion about the score. 'I was drowning,' she said. 'I don't know what a technical merit score is and I don't care to learn.' Pirouette has declined to withdraw the score. 'Art is subjective,' she told the review committee. 'The line between performance and genuine peril has always been thin in this sport. I stand by my assessment.' The regional governing body has scheduled a vision test for all judges before the next competition.