China secured their first gold medal in artistic swimming at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday with an electrifying acrobatic team routine. The performance captivated the judges and outshined the strong competition from the United States, who claimed the silver medal.
In the absence of Russia, traditionally the dominant force in artistic swimming, China emerged as the top contender. The Chinese team delivered a flawless performance, winning gold while the U.S. took silver and Spain captured the bronze medal.
The Chinese team, clad in shimmering, sequined swimsuits, executed a series of complex acrobatic maneuvers. At one point, they tossed a teammate high into the air, earning applause from the audience as she executed a flawless flip before plunging into the water.
The theme of China’s routine, “Light of Life,” featured powerful music that set a dramatic tone for the performance. The synchronization and precision of their movements were highlighted by the emotive choral segments of the music.
“This gold medal is not just a personal achievement; it’s also a realization of our collective dream for the entire artistic swimming team of China,” said China’s Feng Yu. “We have a lot of responsibility on our shoulders.”
Coach Zhang Xiaohuan explained the symbolic elements of their routine. The swimmers formed shapes that represented a mountain, symbolizing the arduous work and dedication required to achieve Olympic gold. “We wanted to show that this is overcoming difficulties and reaching the peak of the mountain,” Zhang said.
This gold medal marks the first for China in the acrobatic routine, a category that involves complex jumps, lifts, and throws and has recently been introduced to Olympic artistic swimming. The routine contrasted with the ethereal theme of “The Sorceresses,” earning China their first top podium finish in this event since the Athens Games in 2004.
China’s performance earned them a total score of 996.1389 points, with the U.S. scoring 914.3421 and Spain scoring 888.9789.
