New artistic swimming duo eyes Asian Games podium

Korea's artistic swimming team is looking to break into the medal ranks at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Hur Yoon-seo and Kim Ji-yoon will keep in tune as a duo for the upcoming games.

Hur, at just 20 years old, is now the senior member of the Korean artistic swimming team.

Her longtime partner, Lee Ri-young, retired after the Paris 2024 Olympics. Hur has now formed a new team with 18-year-old Kim Ji-yoon. Seventeen-year-old Lee Gyu-bin 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 underway 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 County, North Chungcheong. "Our goal is to reach the podium."

Hur said she was still getting 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."

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," Kim 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."

Yonhap