Chinese synchronized swimmers Jiang Wenwen and her twin sister Jiang Tingting weep during a news conference in Dalian on Thursday. Photo: IC

Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting, twin sisters from Sichuan famed for their synchronized swimming ­prowess, announced their retirement on Thursday in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The two called a news conference on Thursday morning after refusing to attend the post-match news conference on Wednesday night. They apologized for missing the conference and expressed their disappointment in the judge's decision.

The twins had been angered that host team Liaoning received the top score with 96.851, defeating the ­Sichuan team, despite the fact that Liaoning used same routine that had earned them 94.688 points under the same judge at the preliminary round on Tuesday.

The Jiang twins came third with 95.188 points, putting them behind the winners by 0.613 points.

The twins - who won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games - said the Liaoning match had been the darkest day in their lives, as they were retiring on such a "chilling" result.

The two also didn't attend the award ceremony after the match on Wednesday.

Jiang Tingting joked after the match via on her Sina Weibo account, saying, "Thanks to those who are sincerely supporting us. We should offer more thanks to the judge, who helped us finish our swan song with third place. It's really not easy to ­become third in China after second in the world!

"Without any errors we came third."

However, Yu Li, an official with swimming authority under the General Administration of Sport of China, said Thursday, "After ­analysis and ­research, the results have been deemed valid and cannot be changed.

"But because the Sichuan team has appealed, we will further investigate."

Global Times