XI’AN, China — China showcased its dominance at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final on Saturday, claiming three gold medals in dramatic fashion. The home crowd in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, cheered as their athletes triumphed in the men’s solo free, women’s duet free, and team free events.
The Chinese team delivered a stellar performance themed “Gravitation” in the team free event, earning an impressive 324.3538 points. Their routine captivated the audience with its precision and artistry. Japan secured the silver with 310.0788 points, while Spain took bronze with 308.4859 points.
Emotions ran high as China coach Zhang Xiaohuan wiped away tears of joy following the victory. “This gold lifts a huge weight off our shoulders,” she said. “Chang Hao was injured during training but showed incredible grit to compete. Our new routine still needs refinement, but the team’s courage under pressure was extraordinary.”
Chang Hao, who competed despite her injury, expressed determination. “We executed the routine with remarkable composure, just like in our daily training sessions,” she said. “My neck rotation is still limited, so I’ll need treatment tonight. Tomorrow, our focus is hitting every lift perfectly.”
In the women’s duet free, twin sisters Lin Yanjun and Lin Yanhan dazzled the judges with powerful movements, earning 266.1442 points to take the gold. Spain’s Lilou Lluis Valette and Iris Tio Casas came in second with 260.9325 points, while Japan’s newly paired duo Uta Kobayashi and Tomoka Sato claimed bronze.
“We lost to Spain last time, but we performed very well today,” said Lin Yanhan. “We still have lots of details to improve.”
Despite the victories, Coach Zhang remained cautious about future competitions. “Strong contenders like Austria, the Netherlands, and Great Britain all have world-class duet pairs,” she noted. “And we can never underestimate Russia.”
The day also saw 17-year-old Guo Muye shine by winning gold in the men’s solo free event. Later, he teamed up with Guo Sitong to secure a silver medal in the mixed duet technical. Spain’s Dennis Gonzalez and Mireia Hernandez claimed the mixed duet technical title with 219.7700 points, edging out the Chinese duo.
“These World Cup competitions are crucial for us—they’re making us sharper for the World Championships,” said Gonzalez, who was the men’s solo free winner at the 2023 World Championships. Spain had dominated last week’s European Championships with five gold medals. “The Chinese duo are very young and talented,” added Hernandez. “We will have good competition at the World Championships.”
The World Cup Super Final concludes on Sunday with the women’s solo free, mixed duet free, and team aerobatics competitions. All eyes will be on these athletes as they continue to push the boundaries of artistic swimming.
