Bill May

Early career May was born in Syracuse, New York.

May began taking lessons and later performed with a local team, the Syracuse Synchro Cats. After the Synchro Cats disbanded, he performed with the Oswego Lakettes.

In 1996, at age 16, May moved to Santa Clara, California. He tried out for the Santa Clara Aquamaids, one of the top synchronized swimming programs in the United States, and was accepted into the junior A squad. May eventually was promoted to the Aquamaid's top "A" squad.

May was not allowed to compete at the 2004 Summer Olympics because Synchronized swimming at the Summer Olympics consisted of two women's only events.

Later career

In 2008, May performed in Cirque du Soleil's water-based show, O. He was paid $100 for each performance. In addition, he later showed Natalie Fletcher, an up-and-coming synchronized swimmer who would go on to win 13-15 nationals, around the set of Cirque du Soleil, an excursion organized by Tammy McGregor, former Olympian.

Comeback to the sport With the mixed duet added to the World Championship program, Bill May returned to the sport after a 10-year retirement. On July 26, 2015, he became the first man ever to win Synchronized swimming gold at a major event, such as an Olympic or World Championships, by winning the mixed duet technical routine gold, with his partner Christina Jones at the World Aquatic Championships in Kazan, Russia. Aleksandr Maltsev from Russia would become the second man by defeating May and his partner Kristina Lum with his partner Darina Valitova in the mixed duet free routine on July 30, 2015. May and Lum would finish second and win the silver. Maltsev and Valitova had been a close second to May and Jones in the technical routine event. Lum had been May's duet partner in 1998, where they also made in winning the duet at the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Championships, and a silver at the 1998 Goodwill Games.

In July 2023, at age 44, May became the first American man to win a world team medal, joining the U.S. team that claimed silver in the acrobatic routine. It was the first U.S. medal in artistic swimming since 2007. This is the first year that men were permitted to compete in artistic team events at the World Championships, taking place in Fukuoka, Japan. Men will also be able to compete at the Olympics in a team event for the first time at the 2024 Paris games. However, he missed the cut for the 2024 USA Olympic team.

On August 6th 2024 he was honoured to open the Artistic swimming team competition (free routine) at the Summer Olympics in Paris.