Team China made a spectacular splash at the Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final in Xi’an, securing three out of four gold medals on the first day of competition. Showcasing a blend of seasoned champions and rising stars, the home team delivered breathtaking performances that left audiences and competitors in awe.
The Chinese team, featuring four reigning Paris Olympic champions alongside four young talents, captivated the crowd with a choreographed routine inspired by the acclaimed video game “Black Myth: Wukong.” Blending elements of Chinese mythology with world-class artistic swimming techniques, their performance earned an impressive 277.2258 points, clinching the gold medal.
“We wanted to pay our respect to our home ground by incorporating a strong cultural atmosphere and the grandeur of the Qin Dynasty,” said head coach Zhang Xiaohuan. “I’d rate us an 8 out of 10.”
Veteran swimmer Chang Hao acknowledged the team’s transition phase, as they work to integrate experienced athletes with newcomers. “We’re currently in a period where veteran and new athletes are working together, so there are inevitably some coordination issues to work through,” he said. “But honestly, after seven months of intensive closed-door training, we’ve already shown significant improvement.”
Spain secured the silver with 276.1408 points, while Japan took bronze with 262.5166. Spanish swimmer Paula Ramirez Ibanez praised the Chinese team’s performance: “We loved the Chinese routine. We were amazed. They are so good and we think it’s super artistic.”
In the women’s duet technical, teenage pair Xu Huiyan and Lin Yanjun demonstrated remarkable progress in their three-week-old partnership. Their “Moon Shadow Dancer” themed routine scored 289.6150 points, earning them the gold medal. Japanese duo Moe Higa and Tomoka Sato claimed silver with 281.4309 points, and Spain’s Txell Ferre Gaset and Lilou Lluis Valette took bronze with 277.8705.
“Considering we’ve only been training together for three weeks, I think we’ve made significant progress,” said Xu, who is a bronze medalist from the Doha 2024 World Championships. “But we could definitely do better. I’m not completely satisfied with our synchronization today—that’s an area that needs work.”
Lin Yanjun added, “Compared to when I partnered with my sister Lin Yanhan, Huiyan is technically more accomplished. Working with her gives me greater stability—I can focus on refining my own movements while synchronizing with her rhythm.”
Earlier in the day, Xu also claimed the women’s solo tech title with a score of 258.7933. Head coach Zhang Xiaohuan commented on her performance: “As one of China’s top solo artistic swimmers, Xu Huiyan can still elevate her performance, particularly in achieving more fluid extensions and refining the delicate precision of her leg movements. She has the potential to be even better.”
In the men’s solo technical, China’s 17-year-old Guo Muye took silver with a score of 224.0400. Mexican athlete Diego Villalobos Carrillo won gold with 225.0841 points after an emotional routine. “There were several areas that fell short of expectations, particularly in artistic expression and the first compulsory element,” Guo reflected. “I felt quite nervous. The pressure was greater here at the Super Final, especially competing on home soil.”
The Super Final continues on Saturday with four more disciplines: men’s solo free, women’s duet free, mixed duet technical, and team free. Fans eagerly await more stunning performances as teams vie for top honors.
