From superheroes to sign language, the nine routines performed during the first portion of the artistic swimming team competition had something for everyone.
The team representing the Russian Olympic Committee earned the highest score of the technical round with a 97.2979. Compared to the other teams, everything the Russians did was a touch sharper, a bit higher and in absolutely perfect sync. The scores from this round will carry over to the final day of competition where teams perform their free routines, meaning the ROC will have an advantage before diving into the pool tomorrow.
The result comes as no surprise considering athletes from Russia have won every artistic swimming gold medal since 2000, but other nations are creeping closer. China earned a 96.2310 for its routine, and Ukraine finished third with a 94.2685 despite having to restart its "Swan Lake" themed routine due to a music malfunction.
There are multiple veterans on the ROC's eight-woman team. They own a combined total of 14 Olympic gold medals. Svetlana Romashina leads the way as the most decorated artistic swimmer of all time. She won her sixth Olympic gold in the duet competition and has a chance to add a seventh with a first place finish in the team final.