Good Chemistry Key to Spain Duo's Gold

Tio and Lluis clinch historic duet free title despite becoming partners only this year

- Kimberly Kwek

Standing in front of the media at the mixed zone with their gold medals gleaming around their necks, Iris Tio Casas and Lilou Lluis Valette were beaming, yet at a loss for words as the scale of their achievement had yet to sink in.

Moments earlier on July 24, the Spanish artistic swimmers had made history by clinching their country's first duet gold at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) after claiming the women's duet free title.

Their score of 282.6087 at the WCH Arena secured the top spot ahead of Italy's Enrica Piccoli and Lucrezia Ruggiero (278.7137) and Russians Mayya Doroshko and Tatiana Gayday (277.1117), who are competing as neutral athletes.

What made the triumph even more remarkable was the fact that Tio and Lluis began partnering only in 2025.

Despite their short time together, the duo had already claimed silver at the European championships in June and now, a world title.

Tio said: "We didn't expect it because it's our first year, but we have really good chemistry and we enjoy doing this duet a lot."

They had come into the meet without any medal targets and for 18-year-old Lluis, who also claimed the team technical bronze in Singapore, the goal was simple.