Doha, Qatar, February 10, 2024: Korea’s Kim Su-ji won her second bronze medal in two days at the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 on Saturday.
After capturing a brilliant bronze behind Chinese divers Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen in the women’s 3m springboard event on Friday evening, Kim followed up with another third-place finish at the Hamad Aquatics Centre in the mixed synchronized 3m springboard.
Kim was partnered by Yi Jae-gyeong and the pair came in third behind Australia’s Maddison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood and Italy’s Chiara Pellacani and Matteo Santoro.
The Australians scored a total of 300.93 points – sealing gold on the last dive of the 17-pair competition – and Italy took silver with 287.49 points, 13.44 points behind the champions.
The Koreans had stayed in touch throughout the competition, and a score of 63.0 on their fifth and final dive gave them a total of 285.03 and the bronze medals – 15.90 behind the gold medal-winners.
Yi, 24, said: “We were fourth in this event at the world championships in Japan last year and this time we got bronze, so we are very pleased.”
As for Kim, 25, she will return to Korea a national hero after winning two bronze medals within the space of 24 hours.
“This competition today is not an Olympic event, so I just tried to enjoy myself,” said Kim.
“I really did enjoy it and it ended happily with the bronze medal. I trained very hard for the world championships but I had not really expected to win two bronze medals. I tried not to be too greedy about it.”
Kim, who also won two bronze medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, in the women’s 1m and 3m springboard events, said there were several good diving athletes back home in Korea.
“I hope this result can make a positive impact on diving in Korea,” she said.
Both Yi and Kim have qualified for the Paris Olympic Games in the men’s and women’s 3m individual springboard competition, respectively, and will be hoping to build on this world championship success – but not as a mixed synchro team.