PARIS, France — One of the most visually captivating sports in the Summer Olympics wrapped up Wednesday, as the artistic swimming competition came to an end.
China dominated the discipline and had the top overall score in each of the three performances, but Team USA's silver medal was the story of the night after not having a team qualify for the Olympics since 2008.
Among the eight members of Team USA was a pair of swimmers from western Washington: flyer Audrey Kwon from Bellevue and Keana Hunter from Issaquah. The U.S. team got fourth in the technical routine but rallied to finish second in both the free and acrobatic routines.
"It feels amazing, we still haven't processed it yet I think, just so many emotions, all the years of hard work really paid off," Kwon told KING 5's Chris Egan from the mix zone after the medal ceremony.
"I think this team just has so many different strengths and aspects that we all bring together to create the most positive environment, we all train together every day, we're uplifting each other every day, through the ups and downs we know how to push and keep fighting no matter what happens, no matter if people knock us down or we don't always qualify at first," Hunter told Egan after receiving her silver medal.
Both Hunter and Kwon trained at the Seattle Synchro Club, and now will be returning to the U.S. with a silver medal along with their artistic swimming teammates. The artistic swimming competition will end on Saturday with the duet discipline.
