swimmer-competition
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| ▲ Kim Woo-min of South Korea leaves the pool after competing in the heats for the men's 400-meter freestyle swimming at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 23, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Kim Woo-min of South Korea competes in the heats for the men's 400-meter freestyle swimming at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 23, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Kim Woo-min of South Korea competes in the heats for the men's 400-meter freestyle swimming at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 23, 2023. (Yonhap) |
swimmer-competition
Ascendant swimmer not afraid of big moments at worlds
By Yoo Jee-ho
FUKUOKA, Japan, July 23 (Yonhap) -- As he was awaiting his turn in the heats for the men's 400-meter freestyle at the world swimming championships Sunday, South Korean Kim Woo-min saw some strong times go up the board from the group ahead of his.
Kim knew it would take a race of his life just to get into the final, open only to the top eight swimmers in the heats. The 21-year-old rose to the occasion, setting a new personal best time with 3:44.52 to rank sixth in the preliminary stage. His previous personal record of 3:45.59, from March this year, would not have been good enough to send Kim to the final here.
The final is set for Sunday evening at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in this port city of Fukuoka. It will be the very first swimming final of this year's World Aquatics Championships.
Kim, who will be competing in his second straight world championships final, said he could go even faster.
"I think I will be in much better condition later in the day, and I should have a shot getting into the 3:43 range," Kim said. "And with that kind of time, I should be able to contend for a medal."
Only one South Korean, Park Tae-hwan, has won a world championships medal in the men's 400m free, with gold medals in 2007 and 2011.
Samuel Short of Australia won the heats in 3:42.44. He was on a world record pace through the first 300m before pacing himself but still bested his own mark by 0.02 second for the fastest men's 400m free time in 2023.
Kim is one of six in the 3:44 territory, including the gold, silver and bronze medalists from last year's worlds, Elijah Winnington of Australia, Lukas Martens of Germany and Guilherme Costa of Brazil.
"It's an honor and a pleasure to be competing against those athletes in the final," Kim said. "I don't feel that nervous."
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