Kim Su-ji takes silver in 3m synchro final

Kim Su-ji, South Korea’s top female diver, had a striking dream last month ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. A giant wave swept over a cliff, engulfing her in an instant.

For Kim, that is a good omen. Before the 2024 Doha World Championships, she dreamed of being swallowed by a tsunami. She went on to win bronze in the women’s 3-meter springboard and mixed synchronized 3-meter springboard. She became the first South Korean diver to win a medal at a world championships held overseas. This time, she believes the wave in her dream may be carrying a golden message.

Kim Su-ji and Kim Na-hyeon took silver in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard final on Sept. 27, finishing with 254.70 points over five dives. China’s Chen Yiwen and Chen Jia won gold with 328.56 points. South Korea had not won silver in the event since Kang Min-kyung and Lim Seong-young did so at the 2002 Busan Games.

Kim had already won bronze in the 1-meter springboard and synchronized 3-meter springboard at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Three years later, she moved up a step on the podium. Before the Games, she said she wanted to change the color of her medal. She did so in her opening event.

Kim’s chemistry with her younger teammate was crucial. With previous partners, differences in technical ability forced Kim to dial back the difficulty of her dives. Kim Na-hyeon, known for her powerful jumps and strength, has allowed the pair to take on more demanding dives together. Kim Na-hyeon picked up her second medal of the Games after winning bronze with Moon Na-yoon in the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform on Sept. 26.

Kim will go after the first Asian Games gold medal of her career in the women’s 1-meter springboard on Sept. 28 and the 3-meter springboard on Sept. 30. Standing in her way is China, the “Great Wall” of Asian diving, which has swept every diving gold medal at the Asian Games since the 1974 Tehran Games. “Sometimes it feels daunting, but I don’t think it’s impossible. I’ve trained ‘just enough not to die,’” Kim said.

Kim has represented South Korea for 15 years, since the 2012 London Olympics. After the 2024 Paris Olympics, a torn tendon in her left knee kept her out of the pool for five months. The forced break, however, changed her perspective. “I used to be so obsessed with diving that I wasn’t getting better. Once I stepped away, I could see things that I hadn’t noticed before,” she said.

Kim enjoys puzzles and Lego and sees her career in much the same way. She said she has put together about “50% of the puzzle.” Around her neck is an Olympic rings-shaped necklace engraved with the names of the three cities that have hosted the Olympics where she competed. “It would be nice to fill all five, like the Olympic rings, but maybe that’s too much to ask. I want to win an Asian Games gold medal, stand on the podium at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and then retire,” she said.

In the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform final that followed, Shin Jeong-hwi and Kim Yeong-taek won bronze with 375.90 points over six dives.


진천=한종호 기자 hjh@donga.com