The United States returned to the artistic swimming Olympic team competition for the first time since 2008, and after three spectacular routines across three days, found themselves on the podium for the first time since 2004.
With a total score of 914.34, the U.S. team took silver in the event for just its third-ever Olympic medal, finishing behind gold medalists China (996.14 points) and ahead of bronze medalists Spain (900.73 points) on the podium.
After finishing the first day of competition in fourth place after a technical routine performed to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” the U.S. team of eight swimmers produced two of the highest scoring routines to close out the competition.
They scored the second-highest mark in the free routine with their performance themed, “I Am the Water,” then followed that up with another second-best score in the acrobatic routine (in that discipline’s Olympic debut) performing to a theme of “the sorceresses.”
"It means everything to us," U.S. team member Daniela Ramirez said. "All the work that we put into this for the past eight years, but especially these last four years, I think has been an amazing testament to what this silver medal means."
Only one member of the eight-woman team, Anita Alvarez, had previously competed on the Olympic stage, doing so in duet events in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. For the other seven, it was a debut to remember.
"I'm so proud," Alvarez said of her younger teammates. "I can't imagine doing what they did at my first Games... I'm so grateful because it's really the best team I've ever been a part of."
Two of the eight American silver medalists, Jamie Czarkowski and Megumi Field, will also compete Friday and Saturday representing the United States in the duet competition.