Members of the national women's water polo team are ecstatic on July 16 after scoring their nation's first goal in the 2019 FINA World Championships in the southwestern city of Gwangju. In a Group B loss to Russia, 30-1, the team achieved a milestone by scoring its first goal in a world championship.

Members of the national women’s water polo team are ecstatic on July 16 after scoring their nation’s first goal in the 2019 FINA World Championships in the southwestern city of Gwangju. In a Group B loss to Russia, 30-1, the team achieved a milestone by scoring its first goal in a world championship.

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Lee Jihae 
Photos = Organizing Committee for the 2019 FINA World Championships

The women’s water polo team made history on July 16 despite losing 30-1 to Russia in a Group B match of the 2019 FINA World Championships in the southwestern city of Gwangju.

The squad became the nation’s first to score in a world championship, which had members focus on scoring a goal rather than get a win. Thus after the defeat, the players were hugging each another and shedding tears of joy.

The team on July 18 went on to score two goals against Canada, thus showing potential for further growth.

Korea on July 18 performs in the free combination preliminaries of the 2019 FINA World Championships at Gwangju's Yeomju Gymnasium Artistic Swimming Competition Venue.

Korea on July 18 performs in the free combination preliminaries of the 2019 FINA World Championships at Gwangju’s Yeomju Gymnasium Artistic Swimming Competition Venue.

For the artistic swimming competition on July 18 at Yeomju Gymnasium Artistic Swimming Competition Venue, Korea finished 11th out of 15 teams in the free combination preliminaries, qualifying for the finals for the second time since 2009.

Day 8 of the championships in Gwangju saw 67 medals awarded, with two Russian female athletes each winning three gold medals: Svetlana Romashina and Svetlana Kolesnichenko. Russia dominated the artistic swimming competition, winning six of the ten golds up for grabs.

As of 2 p.m. on July 19, China led the competition in golds with 11, followed by Germany.

Swimming fans are expected to tune in on June 21, when the swimming competition begins  with 42 golds available, the most of any field in the championships.

km137426@korea.kr