swimmer-race

▲ Lee Eun-ji of South Korea takes a start in the semifinals for the women's 200-meter backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 28, 2023. (Yonhap)

▲ Lee Eun-ji of South Korea competes in the semifinals for the women's 200-meter backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 28, 2023. (Yonhap)

swimmer-race

Young swimmer eliminated in women's 200m backstroke semis at swimming worlds

By Yoo Jee-ho

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Lee Eun-ji was knocked out in the semifinals of the women's 200-meter backstroke at the swimming world championships Friday.

Lee finished last among 16 swimmers in the semifinals with a time of 2:13.65 at the World Aquatics Championships. The 17-year-old had been 14th among the 16 qualifiers in the heats earlier Friday at 2:11.78.

This wraps up Lee's second career world championships appearance. Last year, she reached the semifinals in all three of her individual races: 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke.

This year in Fukuoka, Lee was eliminated in the heats in the 50m and 100m backstroke before qualifying for the semis in the 200m event.

In 2022, Lee clocked 2:10.48 to finish 10th in the 200m backstroke semifinals but was more than three seconds slower this time.

In the 100m backstroke heats here, Lee was 18th with a time of 1:00.56, 0.02 second faster than her time in last year's semifinals where she finished 11th.

In the 50m backstroke, Lee ranked 19th at 28.40 seconds, 0.14 worse than her semifinal time from a year ago.

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