In a spectacular display of skill and harmony, China has secured its first-ever gold medal in the artistic swimming team event at the Paris Olympics. Leading the charge with their initial two routines, the team delivered an acrobatic masterpiece that captivated audiences worldwide.
The Chinese team, themed \"Light of Life,\" achieved an impressive score of 283.6934 points in their acrobatic routine, culminating in a winning total of 996.1389 points. The United States earned the silver with 914.3421 points, while Spain took home the bronze at 900.7319 points. Host nation France narrowly missed the podium with 886.6487 points.
The team event comprised three segments: team technical, team free, and team acrobatic. China's seamless coordination and innovative choreography set them apart from other competitors, showcasing their dedication and excellence in the sport.
\"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,\" said China's tearful head coach Zhang Xiaohuan. \"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.\"
This triumph marks a significant milestone for China in artistic swimming, building on their previous achievements. The team earned a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and secured one silver and one bronze in the 2012 Games. In the past two Olympic cycles, China consistently finished with two silver medals.
Reflecting on their success, Coach Zhang emphasized the importance of learning from other sports. \"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,\" she added.
Reference(s):
China wins artistic swimming gold medal in team event at Paris Games
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