Kim Su-ji competes at the 2026 Asian Games. [AFP]
Kim Su-ji competes at the 2026 Asian Games. [AFP]

Kim Su-ji, 28, the face of South Korean women's diving, has been elected to the Asia Aquatics athletes' committee by a vote of her fellow competitors.

Asia Aquatics announced Sunday (local time) through its official SNS accounts that Kim and Shanam Nazarpour of Iran had been elected as the female and male athletes' committee representatives for diving, respectively.

"This election reflects the deep trust and confidence of fellow athletes," the federation said, adding that it would serve as "an important opportunity to amplify athletes' voices and contribute to the continued development of aquatics."

Asia Aquatics athletes' committee members are chosen through direct nominations and votes by athletes during the Asian Games. Only active competitors — or those who retired no more than four years ago — who have represented their national team at the Olympics, Asian Games, World Championships or Asian Championships are eligible as candidates, with each country limited to one representative. The term runs four years, until the closing ceremony of the next Asian Games.

The athletes' committee comprises 12 members: eight sport representatives — one man and one woman each from diving, swimming, water polo and open water swimming — plus one from artistic swimming and one high diving representative appointed by the executive committee, with two additional retired athletes, one male and one female, also appointed by the executive committee.

Kim won a silver medal and a bronze medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which wrapped up Oct. 4. On Sept. 27, she claimed her first Asian Games silver in the women's synchronized 3-meter springboard, partnering with Kim Na-hyeon of the Gangwon Province office team with a score of 254.70 points. The following day, competing through a back injury, she added a bronze in the women's 1-meter springboard with 245.05 points — her third consecutive bronze in that event, following the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou games.

Kim is South Korea's premier women's diver, having collected three World Championships bronze medals along with one Asian Games silver and four Asian Games bronze medals.


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