Kim Su-ji, Korean diving signboard

Korean swimming and diving star Kim Soo-ji is being interviewed at Incheon International Airport on the 27th before leaving for Doha, Qatar.Suji Kim will compete in the Doha World Championships, which opens on February 2nd.

Kim Su-ji (25, Ulsan Metropolitan City Hall) was diagnosed with ‘torn left knee cartilage’ in December last year.

Of course, I felt pain during training, and it was emotionally painful.

However, participating in international competitions became a good pain reliever for Kim Su-ji.

Suji Kim boarded a flight to Doha, Qatar at 05:05 on the 28th to participate in the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.

In an interview before leaving the country, Kim Su-ji said, "I still enjoy diving the most. Participating in international competitions especially helps me forget the pain," and added, "Furthermore, I have a ticket to the Paris Olympics at the World Championships this year. I had to adjust my training volume due to my injury. , But I will go to Doha after successfully completing some technical training,” he said with a bright expression.

At the Doha World Championships, which opens on February 2, Suji Kim will compete in the individual 1m and 3m springboard, women's synchronized 3m springboard, and mixed synchronized 3m springboard.

The most important event in the Doha Games is the 3m springboard, an official Olympic event.

If you place in the top 12, Korea will receive one ticket to the Paris Olympics.

In diving, qualifications for the Paris Olympics are distributed to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) rather than to individual athletes.

However, there is a high possibility that the Korea Swimming Federation will grant tickets to the Paris Olympics to athletes who win the qualification.

Suji Kim said, “The biggest goal for the Doha Games is to advance to the 3m springboard finals (top 12) and qualify for the Paris Olympics,” and added, “For me, who enjoys participating in international competitions, the Olympics are the biggest stimulus. London 2012, London 2021 “Participating in a third Olympics after Tokyo is a very important goal for my career,” he said.

Korean diving team leaves for Doha

Other events were also faithfully prepared.

In particular, she is aiming for a medal in the mixed synchro 3m springboard, where she took fourth place with Lee Jae-kyung (Incheon Metropolitan City Hall) at the Fukuoka World Championships last year.

Kim Su-ji expected, “If I finish the mixed synchro 3m competition in Doha without making any mistakes, I think I will be able to go one step higher than last year.”

In Gwangju in 2019, Kim Su-ji ranked third in the 1m springboard and became the first world championship medalist in Korean diving history.Since then, no Korean diver has yet won a World Championship medal.

If Suji Kim wins a medal in the mixed synchro 3m springboard competition at this competition, she will set a milestone of becoming the first Korean diver to win two or more medals.

Kim Su-ji expressed her motivation, saying, "I prepared by increasing the difficulty of the women's synchronized 3m competition, which I will be competing with Kwon Ha-rim (Gangwon Provincial Office). Please look forward to this match as well."

While thinking about 'achievable goals' such as qualifying for the Paris Olympics and hunting for a medal at the Doha World Championships, Kim Su-ji again forgot about her knee pain. 19가이드03