The final session in Barcelona did not disappoint this Sunday. The duet free routine, the mixed duet free routine and the team free routine closed the eighth leg of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series. It was the last stop of the circuit before the Super Final in Budapest (June 14-16).

Russia captured gold in the mixed duet and team free routines, while Ukraine won the gold medal with Marta Fiedina and Anastasiya Savchuk in the duet free routine.

It was the closing of a great weekend for artistic swimming in Barcelona, with more than 4,000 spectators watching all the events held at the Sant Jordi pool from Friday to Sunday.

"It has been impressive, the atmosphere was spectacular!", Maria Jose Rienda, president of the Spanish Superior Council of Sports, said.

The former skier, Olympian at five editions of the Olympic Games, was impressed by the high level of Russian and Ukranian swimmers.

"For us it is very important to have an international event of this caliber in Spain and to bring here the best swimmers in the world. Spain is also getting good results and it is very important for us because it is a pre-Olympic year and each international competition helps raise the base. We will keep improving", she added.

 

Spain's Ona Carbonell and Paula Ramirez were overtaken in the Free Duet by Ukraine's Marta Fiedina and Anastasiya Savchuk.

With 93.1000 points, they displayed the most convincing routine to top the podium.

"I am so happy! This program is really, really hard but at the same time it is really interesting, with many elements", Ukraine's Marta Fiedina said.

The bronze medal went to French twins Charlote Tremble and Laura Tremble (87.6000) in the duet free routine.

Ukraine and Spain also left good impressions on the team free routine, although the gold medal went to Russia.

 

The Russian delegation earned 97.2333 points. Anastasiia Arkhipovskaia, Vlada Chigireva, Marina Goliadkina, Veronika Kalinina, Polina Komar, Alla Shishkina, Mariia Shurochkina and Varvara Subbotina demonstrated why Russia is the best country in international events.

In the Free Mixed Duet event, Russia was againt the strongest. Mayya Gurbanberdieva and Aleksandr Maltsev won with 92.400, 1.667 points ahead of Italy's Manila Flamini and Giorgio Minisini.

The bronze medal went to Spain's Pau Ribes and Emma Garcia.

"It has been amazing showcasing the athletes. That is why we are here. That is what we are doing for them and you could see what fans were doing up in the stands during this weekend; they have really engaged and supported the athletes, our stars in the water", Lisa Schott, FINA delegate, said.

She talked about the FINA World Series as a circuit that "gives artistic swimming a profile around the world". "There is more media visibility, there is more understanding and there is more relationship to the stars that are working so hard everyday in the water to show their artistic skills and their athletic skills. This sport is really powerful, very athletic; these athletes train like five or six hours a day", she said.

After the celebration of the eighth leg of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series in Barcelona, Lisa Schott is excited waiting for the Super Final.

"In two weeks we will be in Budapest for the first Super Final. We will have many olympians from around the world competing in Budapest. I think that we will see our athletes raise the game. This will be exciting. We are awaring federations and athletes to participate in the World Series so this is important. It is the first time we are doing something like this", she concluded.

Photos / Jordi Lopez - FCN