At the 2024 Paris Olympics, 23-year-old North Korean diver Kim Mi Rae made history by capturing two medals. In a thrilling competition at the Paris Aquatic Center, she clinched a bronze in the women’s 10-meter platform final, scoring 372.10 points. This marked North Korea’s first Olympic medal in an individual diving event.
Earlier in the week, Kim had already made waves by teaming up with Jo Jin Mi to claim silver in the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform, recording North Korea’s first Olympic medal in diving. Kim’s achievements in Paris have firmly placed her in the annals of Olympic history.
After her fifth dive, Kim overcame her emotions and realized she had secured a medal, which brought tears of joy. At the medal ceremony, she proudly waved the North Korean flag, sharing the podium with gold medalist Quan Hongchan and silver medalist Chen Yuxi, both from China, while basking in the glory of her historic wins.
The medal ceremony featured a Victory Selfie, during which winners took commemorative photos using Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, an official International Olympic Committee (IOC) partner. Initially, the ceremony staff handed the smartphone to Kim, but she hesitated and passed it to Chen, letting her take the photo.
Kim answered questions sincerely at the official press conference, although she previously declined interview requests from every South Korean and foreign media in the mixed zone. She stated, “This is my first time winning a medal in the women’s 10-meter individual event,” adding, “I had only placed fourth in major competitions before, so I’m thrilled now. Even though I finished third, I want to thank everyone in my country who supported me.”
Kim’s history includes silver medals in the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform at both the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest and the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha. Despite previous fourth-place finishes in individual events at these championships, her achievement in the Olympics clearly brought her immense relief and joy, as evidenced by her radiant expression during the ceremony.
Caeli McKay of Canada, who was a strong contender for third place alongside Kim Mi Rae, completed her dives with a total score of 364.50 points. After surpassing McKay in the fifth round, Kim embraced her coach and was emotionally overcome, shedding tears of joy. She said, “When I realized I had secured third place, I just couldn’t hold back my tears. This medal holds immense significance for me. I entered the competition, determined to succeed. While I wasn’t certain I would finish third, I fought hard and earned this bronze.”
“I hope this event will have a small place not only in my memories but also in my country’s memories and history,” she added.
Kim emphasized that this Olympic medal represents North Korea. “We all compete for our team and our country,” she asserted. “No athlete competes solely for themselves.”
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