Team USA’s artistic swimming team entertained fans on Monday with an extraordinary moonwalk, where they walked upside down underwater.
On Monday, the Americans finally got started in the pool, performing their opening routine to Michael Jackson’s hit “Smooth Criminal.”
As the show moved toward its grand finale, the Americans went underwater and turned upside down, exposing their legs above the water.
They then performed a sublime moonwalk, a move that is Jackson’s signature.
It generated a huge response from the captivated crowd in Paris and was also a huge success with fans at home, who took to social media to demand that they be awarded the gold medal.
The Americans moonwalked as they played Michael Jackson’s hit ‘Smooth Criminal’
One fan wrote: ‘This was the highlight of the day for me. The US Artistic Swimming team does an underwater moonwalk in tribute to Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal… instantly iconic!’
Another commented: ‘US artistic swim team does the moonwalk, are you kidding me? The artistry and that’s why this is the only sport I love.’
“Sorry, did I just see the US Artistic Swimming Team’s MOONWALK UNDERWATER?” a third added.
Another posted: ‘Eh. The Americans’ choreography was PERFECT! A MOONWALK?!’
One American asserted that the action “should have given us gold right away.”
Team USA fans were furious on social media after the team performed Jackson’s iconic move
The United States will perform their free routine on Tuesday, before concluding the event on Wednesday with the acrobatic routine.
Russian athletes have won all the gold medals in artistic swimming, starting with the 2000 Sydney Olympics. However, they are not competing in artistic swimming this time.
There are only a handful of Russians participating in Paris because of Russia’s war on Ukraine, so the field is wide open with China likely to be the favorite.
Men were allowed to compete in the team event for the first time at the Olympic Games, but no one was selected
The international swimming federation World Aquatics has said it is disappointed that no men have been selected, as it seeks to make the sport more attractive.