China asserted its artistic swimming supremacy at the World Aquatics World Cup Super Final in Xi'an, securing three gold medals on Saturday while showcasing technical precision and emotional storytelling. The host nation triumphed in the men's solo free, women's duet free, and team free events, leaving rivals scrambling to match their synchronized excellence.
The Chinese team's gravity-defying 'Gravitation' routine earned 324.3538 points – nearly 15 points clear of silver medalists Japan – through perfectly timed lifts and intricate underwater formations. Coach Zhang Xiaohuan praised her athletes' resilience after the victory, revealing: 'Chang Hao competed through injury with incredible grit. While our new routine needs refinement, their courage under pressure was extraordinary.'
Twin sisters Lin Yanjun and Lin Yanhan delivered a powerful duet performance scoring 266.1442 points, avenging their previous loss to Spain. 'We performed well today, but details still need polishing,' Lin Yanhan told reporters. Meanwhile, 17-year-old prodigy Guo Muye claimed men's solo gold before securing mixed duet silver with partner Guo Sitong.
Spain's Dennis Gonzalez and Mireia Hernandez prevented a Chinese sweep by winning the mixed duet technical event, though they acknowledged rising competition. 'The Chinese duo are young and talented,' Hernandez noted, foreshadowing intense rivalry at July's World Championships in Doha.
With Sunday's final events approaching, all eyes remain on China's artistic swimmers as they build momentum toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Coach Zhang cautioned: 'Strong contenders like Austria and the Netherlands have world-class pairs. We can never underestimate Russia's potential return to competition.'
