Paris Olympics: China Repeats Artistic Swimming Gold; US Claims Silver With Viral Moonwalk

Athletes of team United States of America celebrate after winning the silver medal in the artistic swimming Team Acrobatic Routine Final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Aquatics Centre in Paris (France), August 07, 2024.

Paris Olympics: China Repeats Artistic Swimming Gold; US Claims Silver With Viral Moonwalk

While China repeated as gold medalists in the artistic swimming, the U.S. made history with its first medal in the sport since 2004 – and used an underwater moonwalk that went viral to get there.

China won the gold medal with 996.1389 points, which was more than 81 points ahead of the U.S., which scored 914.3421 to earn the silver medal. Spain took the bronze medal with 900.7319 points in the competition, which spans three rounds – a technical routine, free routine and acrobatic routine. The scores are added up for the medals.

The U.S. put together a difficult underwater moonwalk with a Michael Jackson-themed performance to the song “Smooth Criminal” on Monday with the team’s feet up out of the water as the group moved in a moonwalk together.

That routine earned 282.7567. The U.S. then followed up with an especially strong performance in its free routine, earning 360.2688 points and moving into second place.

The U.S. concluded with a “sorceress”-themed routine that put the team into first with 914.3421 total points.

But China was still to performance, and put together a gold-medal winning performance.

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