Newly formed artistic swimming tandem targeting Asian Games medal
Summary
Hur Yoon-seo and Kim Ji-yoon have formed a new Korean artistic swimming duet and will target Korea’s first Asian Games medal in the event since 2010 when the competition opens next month in Japan. Hur said the pair have clicked quickly in training and that their goal is to reach the podium. Lee Gyu-bin, 17, is the reserve member.
Key Facts
- Hur Yoon-seo is 20 and the senior member of the Korean artistic swimming team after Lee Ri-young retired following the 2024 Olympics.
- Kim Ji-yoon is 18, and Lee Gyu-bin, 17, serves as the reserve member.
- Hur and Kim are aiming to win Korea’s first Asian Games medal in artistic swimming since 2010.
- Hur said the duet formed at the beginning of the year has gone well in training, while Kim said she has been working hard on her techniques since the start of the year.
Korean artistic swimmer Hur Yoon-seo speaks during a press conference with the national swimming team for the Asian Games at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Yonhap
JINCHEON — Hur Yoon-seo is still just 20 years old, but she is now the senior member of the Korean artistic swimming team.
Her longtime partner, Lee Ri-young, retired after the 2024 Olympics, and Hur has now formed a new team with the 18-year-old Kim Ji-yoon. Lee Gyu-bin, 17, is the reserve member.
Together, Hur and Kim will try to deliver Korea its first Asian Games medal since 2010, when this year's competition gets under way next month in Japan.
"Even though we have not been together for very long, we really hit it off from the beginning," Hur said Tuesday at a joint press conference with the national swimming team at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul. "Our goal is to reach the podium."
Hur said she was still trying to get used to taking care of younger teammates, having been the youngest artistic swimmer herself for nearly seven years.
"There is a lot that I have to pay attention to, but I am also learning so much from my teammates," Hur added. "Ji-yoon and I have been great together in training."
Korean artistic swimmer Kim Ji-yoon speaks during a press conference with the national swimming team for the Asian Games at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Yonhap
Kim said she was nervous about making her Asian Games debut, but she leans on Hur for moral support every chance she has.
"Since the start of this year, I have been working really hard on my techniques," the teenager said. "My partner has so much international experience, and I am learning a lot from her."
As for dealing with the stress of preparing for her first major event, Kim said, "I think the only way to overcome mental blocks is to train.
"I have been trying my best to stay locked in," Kim added. "And whenever I hit a snag, I turn to Yoon-seo or my coaches for advice."
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