Chinese artistic swim sister duo bags back-to-back golds at Doha swimming Worlds

Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China pose with the gold medals after the awarding ceremony of the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

DOHA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Following their impressive performance that helped China clinch the team acrobatic gold, twin sisters Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi secured a back-to-back victory in the duet technical event at the World Aquatics Championships here on Monday.

Accompanied by traditional Chinese music, the twins showcased a performance themed "Lotus," blending softness with strength to earn a remarkable score of 266.0484. Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe of Britain trailed by a 6.4883-point difference to secure the silver medal, while Spain's Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin and Iris Tio Casas claimed the bronze.

"We want to incorporate Chinese elements, which is quite different from the styles of most teams. We are delighted that our performance has been recognized," said Qianyi, the younger sister.

As they were not exuberant while awaiting the judges' scores, the twins left the audience speculating whether some unforeseen mistakes occurred during their performance.

"We are well aware of our performance and are satisfied with it. The reason you might not see us overly excited is because we are already composed about the event," explained Qianyi.

The twins had faced disappointment at the 2023 Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships in the same event, but showcased a more mature performance this time.

"It was the setback we faced back then that made our mindset more resilient," recalled Qianyi. "We've already secured our Olympic qualification, so coming to Doha, our goal is to enjoy the stage. We hope to carry this forward in the upcoming events."

Throughout this Olympic cycle, the 27-year-old sisters have juggled both duet and team events. They are set to participate in the duet free and team technical events in Doha.

The intense schedule poses a significant physical challenge, with the pair waking up at 5 a.m. for Monday afternoon's event, and they only had a nap of less than half an hour in between their preparation.

"Undoubtedly, the Championships has the most demanding schedules, so fatigue is inevitable. It presents a certain challenge for us, but we are well-prepared," they said.

With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, the twins are eyeing their primary goal.

"Every athlete hopes her efforts will turn into the best rewards. We aspire to stand on the podium and realize our dreams," said Liuyi.

Gold medalists Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China (C), silver medalists Kate Shortman/Isabelle Thorpe of Britain (L) and bronze medalists Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin/Iris Tio Casas of Spain pose for photograph during the awarding ceremony of the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Bregje De Brouwer/Noortje De Brouwer of the Netherlands react after their performance during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Shelly Bobritsky/Ariel Nassee of Isreal perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Bregje De Brouwer/Noortje De Brouwer of the Netherlands perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Kate Shortman/Isabelle Thorpe of Britain perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Gold medalists Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China react during the awarding ceremony of the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin/Iris Tio Casas of Spain perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Alisa Ozhogina Ozhogin/Iris Tio Casas of Spain perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Bregje De Brouwer/Noortje De Brouwer of the Netherlands perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

Wang Liuyi/Wang Qianyi of China perform during the women's duet technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Du Yu)