China win team free routine gold at World Aquatics Championships

China delivered a near-flawless performance in the artistic swimming team free routine at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, earning the top spot on the podium on Sunday.

The eight-member Chinese squad scored 348.4779 points in the final with their routine, called "Gravitation," after earning 338.2167 in the preliminary round, outshining strong competition including Spain and Japan.

Gold medalists China perform in the artistic swimming team free routine final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 20, 2025. /Xinhua

The victory marked China's second gold in artistic swimming at this event, following Xu Huiyan's historic triumph in the women's solo technical event on Saturday.

"In terms of our strategic approach under the new rules, I believe we were successful," said China coach Zhang Xiaohuan. "Although we had to make two substitutions before the competition, the result shows the resilience of the team and the excellence of our athletes."

The result further underlined China's depth and consistency in artistic swimming after steadily emerging as a global powerhouse over the past decade, with the country's athletes frequently standing atop the podium in recent international competitions.

Japan took silver with 334.7232 points, while Spain claimed bronze with 321.1328 points.

Artistic swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships will continue through July 25, with China also expected to contend for medals in the solo, duet, mixed duet, and team events.

（CGTN）