Hwang Sunwoo set a new Asian record in the men's 200m freestyle swimming event.
On October 20, at the Sajik Indoor Swimming Pool in Busan Sports Complex, Hwang Sunwoo clocked 1:43.92 in the men's general division 200m freestyle final at the 106th National Sports Festival, achieving his fourth consecutive victory in this event.
Hwang Sunwoo is delighted as he hangs the gold medal around his neck at the awards ceremony for the men's general division 200m freestyle final held on the afternoon of the 20th at the Sajik Indoor Swimming Pool in Busan during the 106th National Sports Festival. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Hwang Sunwoo broke his own Korean record of 1:44.40, set at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, by 0.48 seconds, establishing a new national record. He also surpassed the Asian record of 1:44.39 previously held by Sun Yang of China. He demonstrated overwhelming dominance, finishing nearly four seconds faster than Lee Hojun, who came in second with a time of 1:47.72.
Hwang Sunwoo is a world-class athlete who has won medals in the 200m freestyle at the World Championships: silver in Budapest, Hungary in 2022; bronze in Fukuoka, Japan in 2023; and gold in Doha, Qatar in 2024.
However, he suffered a major setback last year at the Paris Olympics, where he failed to reach the final despite high expectations for a medal. At this year's World Championships in Singapore, he finished fourth with a time of 1:44.72, missing out on a medal for the fourth consecutive World Championships.
Nevertheless, by setting a new Asian record at the National Sports Festival, he has gained momentum for a comeback. Hwang Sunwoo will aim for his second consecutive gold in the 200m freestyle at next year's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
