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ROME, Italy, July 19. RUSSIA claimed the first gold medal of the meet in synchronized swimming at the FINA World Championships held in Rome.
The Russia contingent of Daria Korobova, Anna Nasekina, Aleksandra Patskevich, Victoria Shestakovich, Alla Shishkina, Elizaveta Stepanova, Anzhelika Timanina and Sofia Volkova tallied 98.833 points for the win. The Russians totaled 49.5 points in overall impression and 49.333 points in execution.
Spain's Ona Carbonell, Raquel Corral, Margalida Crespi, Andrea Fuentes, Thais Henriquez, Paula Klamburg, Irina Rodriguez and Cristina Salvador finished a point behind for silver with 97.833 points. The team cleared 49 points in overall impression and 48.833 points in execution.
China's squad of Huang Xuechen, Jiang Tingting, Jiang Wenwen, Liu Qu, Luo Xi, Wang Na, Wu Yiwen and Zhang Xiaohuan took bronze with 96.667 points. The Chinese collected 48.5 points in overall impression and 48.167 points in execution.
Notably, the U.S. placed seventh overall with 93.333 points based on 46.833 points for overall impression and 46.5 points for execution.
Russia's Natalia Ishchenko topped preliminary qualifying in the solo technical round with 98.667 points. Spain's Gemma Mengual placed second with 97.834 points, while Canada's Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon qualifed third with 95.5 points.