by sportswriters Li Jia and Xia Liang

SINGAPORE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- When her teammates rested on the sidelines, Feng Yu quietly sat or lay down, repeatedly practicing her routine's hand movements.

It had only been nine days since she stepped up to join China's team free squad. Just before the 2025 World Aquatics Championships team free final, Feng was called upon to replace Zhang Yayi, who had injured her feet. The 25-year-old captain undertook intense training under immense pressure and led the team to an astonishing gold medal victory - a feat many thought unimaginable.

Reflecting on the nine critical days, Feng described the experience as "very special."

"Every spare moment, I was thinking about the routine," she said.

The pressure was intense. "I barely slept on the night before the team free preliminaries," she confessed. "I was afraid of forgetting parts of the routine. But it didn't affect my overall state. My mind felt even clearer."

"Actually, the pressure gradually eased with each day of training," she added. "I made sure not to let my anxiety affect the team. I wanted to be calm on stage. I didn't dwell on the result; I just wanted to do my best. Most of the pressure came from my own expectations for perfect execution."

Since the decision was made for her to join the routine, Feng recalled receiving strong support from her teammates.

"Everyone encouraged me and trusted me deeply. Even if I had problems, they would say, 'You'll definitely be fine. You can do it.' I really didn't want to let down that trust and expectation."

"There was an unspoken understanding among us," she added. "No one wanted to burden me with extra talk that might add stress. My teammates trusted me, and I didn't share too much about my fears or worries about making mistakes."

"I know where the team's goals lie. Regardless of whether I had enough preparation or training time, I hoped to perform at my best and repay the team's trust," she said.

Asked about her role as captain during the crisis, Feng was humble but resolute.

"If someone else were put in this situation, they would also step up. For me, I hoped to perform well and bring more stability to the team's routine. But first, I had to make sure I didn't make mistakes."

Head coach Zhang Xiaohuan praised Feng's leadership and perseverance.

"Before the final, during training days, while others rested, Feng was quietly mimicking the routine with her hands, practicing tirelessly alone. She never showed her worries or pressure to the coaches or teammates. As a team captain, her dedication is truly admirable."

"With Feng Yu's help, we achieved something that others didn't even dare to imagine," Zhang added. "Just one day after Yayi's injury, Feng stepped in as a substitute, began training the next day, and by the third day, she was already on the World Championships journey. On the eighth day, she competed in the preliminaries. It is because of athletes like Feng that the team can overcome difficulties and continue moving forward."

Their effort paid off. China triumphed in the team free event with an impressive 348.4779 points, finishing 13.7547 points ahead of second-placed Japan. It marked China's second artistic swimming gold at the Singapore Worlds, following Xu Huiyan's win in the women's solo technical.

Although China retained the "Gravity" theme from their gold-winning performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, many technical elements were changed. The coaching staff even revised all three acrobatic components after the Artistic Swimming World Cup Final in June. As a result, the Chinese athletes had just over a month to rehearse the new routine ahead of the World Championships.

"It felt unlike before - a new kind of challenge. Our routine had major changes. The difficulty and lifts were completely redesigned," said the reigning Olympic champion. "But I have confidence in our team. Since the Paris Olympics, we have been training and refining together for a long time, and we can handle those adjustments."

Feng will also take part in the team technical and the team acrobatic at the Worlds. ■