swimmer-race

▲ Hwang Sun-woo of South Korea takes a start in the heats for the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Hwang Sun-woo of South Korea competes in the heats for the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Lee Ho-joon of South Korea competes in the heats for the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)

swimmer-race

Reigning silver medalist Hwang Sun-woo squeezes into 200m free semis at swimming worlds

By Yoo Jee-ho

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Hwang Sun-woo squeezed into the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the swimming world championships Monday, almost missing out on a chance to win his second straight medal at the competition.

Hwang finished his race in 1:46.69 to tie for 13th in the heats of the World Aquatics Championships in the Japanese port city of Fukuoka, as the top 16 out of 67 qualified for the semifinals set for Monday evening.

Hwang was only one-hundredth of a second ahead of the 16th-ranked qualifier, Antonio Djakovic of Switzerland. Danas Rapsys of Lithuania finished 17th in 1:46.87.

Hwang won the silver medal in the 200m freestyle at last year's world championships in Budapest, with a personal best of 1:44.47. Hwang arrived in Fukuoka with the world's fastest 200m freestyle time this season with 1:44.61, followed by Pan Zhanle of China at 1:44.65.

Pan finished 11th in the heats in 1:46.49, while the defending world champion from Romania, David Popovici, ranked third in the heats in 1:45.86.

Luke Hobson of the United States won the heats in 1:45.69. Hwang's less-heralded teammate, Lee Ho-joon, finished fifth in 1:46.21.

In the semifinals taking place later Monday, the top 16 qualifiers will be divided into two groups, and the eight fastest swimmers will reach the final scheduled for Tuesday evening.

Hwang is trying to become the first South Korean swimmer to win a medal at back-to-back world championships.

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