Despite a record-breaking result in artistic swimming at the World Championships, China's coach Zhang Xiaohuan remains cautiously optimistic as she looks ahead to the Paris Olympics.
DOHA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- With Cheng Wentao and Shi Haoyu clinching the mix duet free title on Saturday, China concluded the World Aquatics Championships in Doha with a record-breaking performance in artistic swimming, securing seven gold, one silver, and one bronze medals
"Now I feel relaxed," expressed China's coach Zhang Xiaohuan. "As if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
This achievement marks China's best-ever performance at the swimming worlds and the most gold medals won by a single team in the tournament history, setting a spectacular start to the Olympic year.
The trip to Doha is of great significance for Zhang as it validates China's unique artistic creativity and impact in choreography, acknowledged by judges.
"Due to cultural differences between the East and West, we strive to find music and displays that appeal to international judges and earn respect for our choreography," she explained. "Besides winning gold medals, my dream is to leave behind memorable works."
The twin sisters Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi made a triumphant return from Fukuoka 2023 to shine in Doha, winning two gold medals in the duet event and securing another two gold medals as part of the team.
China competed in all artistic swimming events in Doha, also providing more opportunities for young athletes to showcase their talents, especially in non-Olympic events.
Yang Shuncheng, a 16-year-old male swimmer, made his World Championships debut and clinched the title in the solo technical event, showing promise for future surprises.
Despite achieving their best-ever results at the World Championships, Zhang remained cautiously optimistic and believed that it does not indicate China's dominance in artistic swimming.
"Under the new scoring rules, even minor mistakes could cost medals, creating more opportunities for other teams to compete. No one is invincible," Zhang said. Looking ahead to the Paris Olympics, Zhang emphasized that the tasks remain challenging.
"I'm currently analyzing the underwater movements and technical routes of various teams, which keeps me vigilant and constantly learning," said Zhang.
China will continue preparations in Beijing for the World Cup in early April. "We'll give every swimmer a fair chance in the Olympic selection process, which also serves as a motivating mechanism to ensure athletes maintain a sense of urgency," added Zhang. ■
