Russia gets gold in solo free routine synchronised swimming

Barcelona: Russia`s Svetlana Romashina won the gold medal in the solo free routine of synchronized swimming at the World Swimming and Diving Championships here.

The 24-year-old Romashina scored a total of 97.340 points in a Marilyn Monroe-inspired routine which allowed her to win her third gold medal in Barcelona after her success in the solo and duet technical routine here Wednesday. Romashina was followed by China`s Xuechen Huang, who already has two world silver medals in the solo technical. Huang scored 95. 720 points interpreting a music piece from the Phantom of the Opera musical, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Local favourite Ona Carbonell scored a total of 94.290 points, paying tribute to Barcelona, her home, with a duet of soprano Montserrat Caballe and rock singer Freddie Mercury from Queen that had been written for 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. A total of 308 sportswomen are competing in synchronized swimming at the Swimming Worlds Championships here, which set a record in terms of participation reaching 2,293 athletes from 181 different countries and regions. IANS