Asian Record Holder Hwang Sun-woo Receives 10 Million KRW Reward from Korea Swimming Federation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Hwang Sun-woo (18, Seoul Physical Education High School), the "hope of Korean swimming," who set a new Asian record in the men's 100m freestyle at his first-ever Olympic appearance, will receive a reward of 10 million KRW from the Korea Swimming Federation.

On the 5th, the Korea Swimming Federation announced, "The reward ceremony for Hwang Sun-woo, who set the Asian record in the men's 100m freestyle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will be held on the 11th at the Korea Sports Council meeting room on the 2nd floor of the Best Building in Songpa-gu, Seoul," adding, "The reward amount is 10 million KRW."

The Korea Swimming Federation's reward regulations specify that rewards are given to athletes and coaches who win medals as representatives in domestic and international swimming competitions hosted, organized, or recognized by the federation, as well as to those who set new records (world records and Asian records).

However, the amount is determined by the federation president within the budget limits. Park Tae-hwan, who won gold and set an Asian record in the men's 400m freestyle and silver and set an Asian record in the 200m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, received a total reward of 100 million KRW. Park Tae-hwan passed all of this reward to the coaches who trained him.

Since March last year, the Swimming Federation has been awarding 1 million KRW to individual event athletes and 2 million KRW to team events for setting Korean records.

This time, the federation president Jeong Chang-hoon decided at his discretion to award Hwang Sun-woo 10 million KRW, and plans to revise related regulations to specify future reward amounts and other details.

Hwang Sun-woo set an Asian record and a world junior record of 47.56 seconds in the men's 100m freestyle semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Korean and the first Asian swimmer in 65 years since Japan's Tatsushi Dani at the 1956 Melbourne Games to reach the Olympic final in this event.

Hwang's record broke the previous Asian record of 47.65 seconds set by China's Ning Zetao at a domestic competition in October 2014 by 0.09 seconds after about 7 years. In the final, he finished 5th with a time of 47.82 seconds.

Additionally, Hwang set a Korean record and world junior record of 1:44.62 in the 200m freestyle heats at this tournament, advanced to the semifinals, and then reached the Olympic swimming final for the first time in 9 years since Park Tae-hwan, finishing 7th.