Gold medalists Hwang Sun-woo, Kim Woo-min to represent Korea in Qatar

Two Hangzhou Asian Games swimming gold medalists Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min secured lanes in the 200-meter freestyle race at the 2024 World Aquatic Championships, taking first and second in the event at the national selection contest Monday.

Swimmers Hwang Sun-woo, left, and Kim Woo-min check their records after finishing a 200-meter race at the national squad selection contest at Gimcheon Swimming Pool in Gimcheon, North Gyeonsang on Monday. [YONHAP]

Two Hangzhou Asian Games swimming gold medalists Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min will have lanes in the 200-meter freestyle race at the 2024 World Aquatic Championships, securing their spots on Monday at the national squad selection contest.

Hwang finished the 200-meter freestyle race at Gimcheon Swimming Pool in Gimcheon, North Gyeonsang in first place with a time of 1 minute and 45.68 seconds and Kim came in second with 1 minute and 46.02 seconds.

“This result was not so bad, and I established a foothold ahead of the road to Doha, [Qatar],” Hwang said after the race. “My expectations for next year’s World Championships and 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Olympics grew as other members who competed in today’s 200-meter race managed good result even though it is the off-season.”

Only Hwang and Kim will compete for Korea in the 200-meter race at the World Championships held in Doha, Qatar in February next year, as tournament rules stipulate that only two swimmers per country can participate in the same discipline.

For Hwang, it will be a chance to win a third consecutive medal at the World Championships after securing a silver medal in the 200-meter race at the 2022 tournament and bronze in the same race at the 2023 competition.

Kim has yet to secure a medal at the World Championships, but he proved his potential in September at the Asian Games where he secured three golds and one silver — gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle and 800-meter freestyle and silver in the 1500-meter freestyle.

Hwang also saw huge success at the Asiad, winning six medals — gold in the 200-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter freestyle, silver in the 4x100-meter medley relay, 4x100-meter freestyle relay and two bronze in the 4x100-meter mixed medley and 100-meter freestyle.

Hwang and Kim alongside Yang Jae-hoon and Lee Ho-joon even set a new Asian record in the 4x200-meter freestyle with 7 minutes and 01.73 seconds when they claimed Korea’s first-ever gold in the event at the Asiad.

“The records we managed at the Hangzhou Asian Games is remarkable even when we think about it,” Hwang said. “We can further shorten each of the lap records. Using next year’s tournament in Doha as a springboard, I wish to manage a record in six minutes in the freestyle relay at the Paris Olympics.”

Hwang represented Korea in July 2021 at the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics but failed to medal.

The Paris Olympics will be the 20-year-old’s second Olympics. The Games will begin in July next year.

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