Acrobatic excellence: China dominate artistic swimming at Paris Olympics

China claimed their first gold medal in artistic swimming at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday with a stunning acrobatic team performance. Their routine captivated the judges, earning them a decisive victory over the United States, who took the silver medal.

Russia, traditionally dominant in artistic swimming, was excluded from the Games, paving the way for China's triumph. The US secured silver, while Spain took home the bronze medal in the acrobatic team event.

The Chinese team, donned in red sequined swimsuits, executed a dynamic routine that included tossing a swimmer high into the air, which drew enthusiastic applause from the audience as she performed flips into the water. The theme of their performance, "Light of Life," was accompanied by powerful music and a singer's chanting, adding to the routine's intensity.

This Olympics marks the debut of the acrobatic routine in artistic swimming, featuring complex jumps, flips, and tosses. The US team delivered a mesmerizing performance themed "The Sorceresses," earning them their first team event medal since the 2004 Athens Games.

China scored a total of 996.1389 points, while the US earned 914.3421 points, and Spain finished with 900.7319 points. Favored to win, China lived up to expectations and now looks forward to the duet artistic swimming event starting on Friday, with hopes of securing another gold medal.

Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in the Games due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Belarus acting as a staging ground.