Sun Wenyan (left) and Huang Xuechen perform during the duet free routine final artistic swimming event at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday. Photo: Cui Meng/Global Times

Chinese artistic swimmers Huang Xuechen and Sun Wenyan saw their return to the Olympics with a silver medal on Wednesday in Tokyo, as they finished second in the free routine final. 

The Chinese pair was 3.458 points ­behind the winners of the Russian Olympic Committee team's 195.9079 points, as they conducted their performance under the music themed on traditional Chinese legend "Green Snake."

"We are satisfied with today's performance," Huang told reporters. "We are here to fix the problems revealed in the technical routine."

The Russians are the dominating force in the sport as they have been champions since the 2000 Sydney Games. In Rio, the Chinese duo was trailing by 3.0889 points to the Russian team's 194.9910 points. 

"It's not easy to overtake them at this Olympics," said Huang. "Maybe in the future our younger generation could outperform the Russians. Sun and I are here to do what we can, to be a stepping stone for the younger generation."

The duo made a heart shape to their coaches after finishing the performance, echoing their gesture at the Asian Games in 2014 when the pair won a gold medal in their pairing debut at a major international stage. "I think this is a perfect ending to our last Olympics. We have no regrets," said 31-year-old Sun. 

Huang, 30, previously retired after Rio Olympics but returned to competition in 2018 after giving birth to a baby. She had to lose more than 30 kilograms after her pregnancy. 

"I think the biggest meaning in this sport is how to manage yourself to persist," Huang told reporters. "It's a combination of strength and art. You have to strike a balance."

Wednesday's race was marred by the incident of five members of Greek artistic swimming team who tested positive for novel coronavirus. Sun said they did not even meet the Greek team.

"I don't think we met them as we trained in different sessions," Sun told the Global Times after the race. "We are very aware of the prevention measures."

The final was held at the Tokyo Aquatic Center, which also hosts swimming and diving competitions. Strict anti-epidemic measures remain in place at the venue after the new cases were reported.

The Global Times has reached to the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee on whether there will be further precaution measures to the participating athletes. But it went unanswered. 

Sun and Huang were assured of a berth in the duet competition in Tokyo thanks to their performance at the 2019 World Championships.

They were also members of the Chinese team that won silver in the team event in Rio in 2016 and London in 2012. Huang also boasts a bronze medal from the team event in 2008.

The duo took silver medals in the technical and free routines at both the 2015 and 2019 World Championships.

They will continue their journey at the Tokyo Olympics in the team competition, as the team technical routine kicks off on Friday and the team free routine the following day.

"I hope younger generation athletes could handle better with injuries in the early stage of their career, which will help in extending their career span," Huang said, noting the young athletes' encouragement to her also contributed to her decision to return to competition. 

Huang Xuechen (left) and Sun Wenyan celebrate after winning silver. Photo: Xinhua