Doubling down

Twin sisters Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi are poised to make a splash at the Paris Olympics, competing in both the duet and team events.

Their Olympic journey began with a standout performance at last year's Hangzhou Asian Games, where they clinched the artistic swimming duet title, securing their tickets to Paris. The 27-year-old duo also collected a gold medal in the team event.

Reflecting on their rigorous preparation, Wang Liuyi shed light on the challenges of adapting to new rules introduced last year. The updated regulations, introduced following a meeting of the sports governing body in October, revolve mainly around scoring — breaking routines down into "elements" and "degree of difficulty" — and how those areas are judged on an artistic and technical level.

"Our approach has evolved," Wang Liuyi explained. "Each competition now carries potential changes and risks of deductions, demanding our utmost focus. Our training regimen has intensified, requiring extensive practice and seamless coordination. Moreover, the need to fine-tune our routines for every competition has bolstered our mental resilience."

To meet the rigorous demands of the sport, the sisters devote over 10 hours a day to perfecting their routines in the water, setting their sights on a triumphant performance on the grand stage of the Paris Olympics.

The sisters made their international debut in 2014. Wang Qianyi remembers that, when they were starting out, they just passed the minimum level, but soon their performance shot up to 90 points out of 100. "Now we're aiming for 100 points. It might take a while, but we're determined not to give up," she said.

The Paris Games will be the first time the sisters have competed together on the Olympic stage. At the pandemic-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Wang Qianyi earned a silver medal in the artistic swimming team event, while her older sister Wang Liuyi missed out due to injury.

Born just two minutes apart, the twin sisters have a unique bond. They use special nicknames and have always supported each other. Their different personality traits create balance between the pair: The older sister is more emotional, while the younger Wang is more rational and analytic — perfect for honing their routines.

As for those routines, the lifting movements are the toughest element, and they are aiming to increase the difficulty by trying more challenging lifts.

As for who lifts whom, it's never been a question for them. Since they were little, the older sister has lifted the younger one because she's slightly lighter.

"It's weird, but when I gain weight, she does too, and when I lose weight, she does too. Our weights have always been close, so she's always been the one lifting me," Wang Qianyi explained.

"In the last Olympics, I competed alone because my sister couldn't participate due to injury. Ever since, I've wanted to stand on the Olympic stage again, but with her at my side," she said.

"I just want to tell my sister that, despite all the challenges to come back and compete with me, she's amazing. Together, we'll make our dreams come true," the younger Wang added.

Inspired by her sister's encouragement, Wang Liuyi decided to continue pursuing her Olympic dream after the disappointment of missing Tokyo.

"We both show love through actions. I hope we can eventually achieve our dreams," she said.

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