China clinched its first-ever gold medal in artistic swimming at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, marking a historic moment for the nation in this discipline. Demonstrating exceptional skill and artistry, the Chinese team captivated the judges and audience alike with their acrobatic routine themed “Light of Life.”
Accumulating a total score of 996.1389 points, China led the competition after the first two routines and delivered a stunning performance in the team acrobatic segment, scoring 283.6934 points. The victory represents a significant achievement, as China surpassed its previous records, having earned bronze and silver medals in past Olympic Games.
“It is a great honor that we took Olympic glory for the first time. It was a great honor to make history for our country,” expressed China’s head coach Zhang Xiaohuan, her eyes filled with tears of joy. “We set a goal of trying to reach 900 points before the Games. It seemed that we underestimated ourselves. Our girls did a much better job during the three team routines. We were extremely excited to show our best to the world.”
The United States secured the silver medal with a total of 914.3421 points, while Spain claimed bronze with 900.7319 points. Host nation France delivered a commendable performance, finishing just outside the medal standings with 886.6487 points.
The team event in artistic swimming consists of three parts: team technical, team free, and team acrobatic routines. China’s triumph is a testament to their dedication and the effective integration of techniques learned from other sports disciplines.
“We have a good tradition that we learned a lot from our veteran coaches in other sports, such as diving, gymnastics, and trampoline. We tried to follow the new rules and match up with all the other powerhouses in the world,” Zhang added.
China’s journey in artistic swimming has shown consistent progress over the years, moving from a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to silver medals in subsequent Games. This gold medal victory not only signifies a personal best for the team but also elevates China’s status in the global artistic swimming community.
(With input from Xinhua)
Reference(s):
China wins artistic swimming gold medal in team event at Paris Games
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