The golden generation

Decades of progress

When artistic swimming was added as an official Olympic sport in 1984, China had only just begun to develop the discipline. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, China's solo swimmers were ranked outside the top 10, while the duet placed 9th.

Over the decades since, the Chinese artistic swimming team made gradual progress, with each advancement representing a major milestone.

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, the team achieved sixth place in the team event, a significant improvement from its seventh-place finish at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. It took eight years to achieve that single step up the ladder.

In 2006, the team enlisted world-class Japanese coach Masayo Imura, known as the "mother of synchro", who helped it overcome technical barriers and achieve significant progress. By the time the 2008 Beijing Olympics arrived, the team was ready to make a historic breakthrough, securing a first Olympic medal.

The team then dedicated 16 years to advancing up the steps of the Olympic podium. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, it earned silver medals in both the team and duet events, significantly closing the gap with the champion Russian team.

Now, in Paris, it has finally reached the highest position on the podium, not with a step, but with a leap, so great was the deficit in points with its nearest rival.

Yet the journey isn't over. The duet competition begins Friday, potentially featuring an unprecedented showdown between four sets of twin sisters from China, Austria, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

A compelling matchup, indeed, especially as the Chinese pair, Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, have developed a taste for gold and are craving more.