Russia Olympic swimming champions have revealed that they won their medals without shaving their legs before competing with one of the champions saying “Hairy legs are the key to success.”

Svetlana Romashina, 31, Alla Shishkina, 32, and Vlada Chigireva, 26, who have won countless medals at the Olympics and European Championships in synchronised swimming between them revealed their secret – they don’t shave their legs before competing.

Alla Shishkina, a gold medal winner at the 2020 summer Olympics, told local news site NTV: ” To make our legs more sensitive and to get a better feel of the water we don’t shave them before competing.”

She added: “Hairy legs are actually more sensitive than when they have been shaved.”

Svetlana Romashina, the double gold medalist at the 2020 Olympic games, said the leg hair of synchronised swimmers doesn’t grow back too long and furthermore unlike swimmers, it’s not necessary for synchronised swimmers to shave as speed is not important in the event.

Vlada Chigireva hasn’t publicly commented on the subject but NTV claims that she is on board with her colleagues and doesn’t shave her legs either before competing.

Svetlana is one of the all-time most successful synchronised swimmers, having won 41 total gold medals from competing in four Olympic Games.

After winning two gold medals in the Tokyo 2020 games she announced her retirement.

Alla has won gold medals in all three of the last summer Olympic games.

Vlada has won 6 gold medals at World Aquatics Championships and also won a gold medal at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships.