Hwang Sun-woo (20) recorded the highest-ever finish for a Korean athlete by placing 5th in the men's 100m freestyle at the 2024 World Swimming Championships.
On the 16th (Korean time), Hwang Sun-woo finished the men's 100m freestyle final at the 2024 FINA World Championships held at Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar, with a time of 47.93 seconds, just 0.40 seconds behind the winner.
Hwang passed the 50m mark in 23.04 seconds, the slowest among the eight finalists, but caught up with three swimmers in the latter half to finish 5th overall. The gold medal was claimed by China's Pan Zhanle (47.53 seconds). Pan Zhanle, who holds the men's 100m freestyle world record (46.80 seconds), won his first individual gold medal at the World Championships.
Hwang Sun-woo is greeting Pan Zhanle of China, who won the gold medal, after finishing 5th with a time of 47.93 seconds in the men's 100m freestyle final at the 2024 FINA World Championships held at Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar on the 16th (Korean time). Pan Zhanle recorded a time of 47.53 seconds. [Photo by AP Yonhap News]
Although he did not win a medal, Hwang Sun-woo made history as the first Korean swimmer to reach the final in the 100m freestyle at the World Championships. Before Hwang, Park Tae-hwan's best result was reaching the semifinals and finishing 14th in the men's 100m freestyle at the 2011 Shanghai World Championships.
In his previous two World Championships, Hwang only managed to reach the semifinals. At the 2022 Budapest Championships, he tied for 17th place in the heats and did not qualify for the semifinals, which featured 16 swimmers. However, when Caleb Dressel (USA), who qualified for the semifinals, withdrew, Hwang took his place and finished 11th. At last year's Fukuoka Championships, he placed 9th in the semifinals, narrowly missing out on the final.
At this competition, Hwang plans to compete for a medal in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay alongside Kim Woo-min (22), who won gold in the men's 400m freestyle, Lee Ho-jun, and Lee Yoo-yeon. The men's 4x200m freestyle relay heats will be held on the afternoon of the 16th, with the final on the morning of the 17th.
In the men's 200m backstroke semifinals on the same day, Lee Joo-ho recorded the 3rd fastest time overall, becoming the first Korean swimmer to reach the final in this event. Lee posted a time of 1:56.40, just 0.08 seconds behind Jack Aitken (USA), who won the second semifinal heat. Lee also recorded the fastest 50m split in the semifinals at 26.90 seconds, demonstrating a strong backstroke performance.
Park Su-jin finished 8th in the women's 200m butterfly final with a time of 2:10.09.
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