Gold medalists Team China (C), silver medalists Team Japan (L) and bronze medalists Team Kazakhstan attend the awarding ceremony for the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

HANGZHOU, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's twin sisters Wang Qianyi and Wang Liuyi excelled to win the duet gold medal in artistic swimming at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Saturday.

The Wang sisters, who led the technical routine on Friday, scored 260.2853 points to top the free routine and combined 526.8620 for the gold medal.

"This set of moves has been shown at the Fukuoka world championships (in July), and we have increased difficulty compared with what was shown then," said Wang Liuyi, who took a silver with Wang Qianyi in the duet free at the Fukuoka worlds.

"Our program at the Fukuoka worlds was slightly inferior to our opponents, mainly in terms of difficulty, and we had to consider all aspects well in our training afterwards. And we decided to increase our difficulty. It was only on the spot that we discovered that our difficulty was the highest in the field," added Wang Qianyi.

"We trained very hard to prepare for the Asian Games," said Qianyi. "Our aim is to take part in the Paris Games and we will try our best to stand on the podium there."

Japan swimmers Mashiro Yasunaga and Moe Higa ranked second in free routine with 235.6855, earning the silver with a total of 489.4288. Kazakhstan's Arina Pushkina and Yasmin Tukakova took the bronze with a total of 418.6987 after ranking third in free routine with 200.5354.

"We fought for a good result. It was hard, but we tried until the end to hold on to everything and for us to succeed," said Tukakova.

The artistic swimming will be concluded on Sunday with team free routine.

Gold medalists Team China (C), silver medalists Team Japan (L) and bronze medalists Team Kazakhstan attend the awarding ceremony for the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Wang Liuyi /Wang Qianyi of China compete during the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Team China celebrate during the awarding ceremony for the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Wang Liuyi /Wang Qianyi of China compete during the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Kazakhstan's Yasmin Tuyakova /Arina Pushkina compete during the Duet Free Routine of Artistic Swimming at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Oct. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)