Japan took silver in the artistic swimming team free routine Friday as China topped the podium at the world championships in Fukuoka.

With the result, Japan's artistic swimmers equaled their best-ever world championship haul of seven medals, set last year in Budapest.

Japan artistic swimming team members pose with their silver medals after the team free routine final at the world aquatics championships on July 21, 2023, at Marine Messe Fukuoka in the southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The eight-woman Japanese free routine team totaled 317.8085 points to finish 11.3602 adrift of China at Marine Messe Fukuoka. Ukraine claimed bronze after coming in 72.9272 behind the champion.

While China earned top marks for total difficulty and execution, Japan's artistic impression score of 126.7500 was the highest among the 12 teams in the final.

Japanese artistic swimmers perform their silver medal-winning team free routine at the world championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka on July 21, 2023. (Kyodo)

Japan's strong artistic swimming performance in its home pool has raised expectations ahead of next summer's Paris Olympics, where athletes from traditional powerhouse Russia could be back in competition. Russia and Belarus remain excluded from international swimming competition over the invasion of Ukraine.

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