Kim Woo-min snaps 13-year Korean 400-meter freestyle drought in Doha

The 20-year-old is the second Korean swimmer to win the discipline at the World Aquatics Championships after Park Tae-hwan in 2011.

Kim Woo-min celebrates after the men's 400-meter freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar on Sunday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Kim Woo-min took gold in the men’s 400-meter freestyle at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Qatar on Sunday, becoming the second Korean swimmer to win the discipline at the World Championships after swimming legend Park Tae-hwan in 2011.

Kim finished with a time of 3 minutes and 42.71 seconds in the final at the Aspire Dome. Elijah Winnington of Australia came in second with 3 minutes and 42.86 seconds, and Lukas Martens of Germany took bronze with 3 minutes and 42.96 seconds.

Kim came just short of Park's 2011 record — 3 minutes and 42.04 seconds.

“I did not expect my record to be this good, and I think this will have a positive impact at the Paris Olympics,” Kim said after the race.

It was hardly Kim's first time shining on the international stage.

He won four medals at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year — gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, 400-meter freestyle and 800-meter freestyle and silver in the 1500-meter freestyle.

He also represented Korea at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021 but failed to reach the 4x200-meter freestyle relay final.

The 22-year-old may see more bling at this year’s World Championships, which runs until Feb. 18. He is set to compete in the 800-meter freestyle on Feb. 13 and 4x200-meter freestyle relay on Feb. 16.

Countryman Hwang Sun-woo, who won an Asiad gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay with Kim last year, is also competing at this year’s World Championships.

Hwang was due to compete in the men’s 200-meter freestyle on Monday as of press time.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]