World aquatics championships: Day one - in pictures

Chinese flag bearers surround the competition pool for the opening ceremony Photograph: Barbara Walton/EPA

181 nations are competing in Shanghai, the last major event before the London Olympics next year Photograph: Barbara Walton/EPA

Artists perform during the opening ceremony Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Synchronised swimmers form a Chinese character, which means 'water' ... Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

... as does the character in the background here Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Artists light up the pool Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Performers on wires take part in the celebrations Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

More synchronised swimmers take to the water Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

These performers manage to stay dry Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Away from the opening ceremony, Mexico's Arantxa Chavez and Laura Sanchez dive during the women's 3m synchro springboard final Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Russia's Svetlana Philippova and Anastasia Pozdniakova in action Photograph: Gero Breloer/AP

Christina Loukas and Kassidy Cook of the US hit the water Photograph: Patrick B. Kraemer/EPA

The women's 3m synchro springboard final is won by China's Wu Minxia and He Zi, as the hosts claim the first gold medal of the championships Photograph: Wong Maye-E/AP