'I really want to win': Kim Woo-min sets eyes on 400-meter freestyle at Paris Olympics

"I think bringing good results in the beginning will allow fellow swimmers to produce good results later as well,” the 22-year-old said during a press conference Tuesday. "Which is why I really want to win the 400-meter freestyle race.”

Swimmers Kim Woo-min, left, and Hwang Sun-woo speak during a press conference at Jincheon National Training Center of Korean Sport and Olympic Committee in Jincheon, North Chungcheong on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Kim Woo-min is keen to pull off a strong start for Korea in its quest to end a 12-year swimming medal drought at the Paris Olympics, with his team and in his first individual event.

“Since we [Kim Woo-min, Hwang Sun-woo, Lee Ju-ho and Kim Seo-yeong] are the first [swimmers] to compete in Team Korea, I think bringing good results in the beginning will allow fellow swimmers to produce good results later as well,” Kim said during a press conference at Jincheon National Training Center of Korean Sport and Olympic Committee in Jincheon, North Chungcheong on Tuesday. “Which is why I really want to win the 400-meter freestyle race.”

Swimming will be the first aquatic sport to hit the pool in Paris, and 22-year-old Kim Woo-min will be the first Korean swimmer to be in action. He will compete in the 400-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 1500-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter freestyle events.

He will be in action on the back of a strong performance on the international stage, having won three gold medals, in the 4x200-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle and 800-meter freestyle races, and one silver medal, in the 1500-meter freestyle race, at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. He also won gold in the 400-meter freestyle and silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.

This year’s Olympics is his second time competing at the Games after he failed to reach the 4x200-meter freestyle relay final at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

“I’ve recently broken my own records, and that has had a great positive impact on me,” Kim said. “My goal at the Paris Olympics is breaking my personal record, and I think that would allow me to compete with great swimmers. I will work hard toward that sole goal.”

Korea has had a medal drought in Olympic swimming since Park Tae-hwan won two silver medals at the 2012 Games. Park still remains the only Korean swimmer to have medaled at the Olympics.

Hwang is another strong competitor to end Korea’s medal drought in Paris.

The 21-year-old won six medals — two gold, two silver, and two bronze — at the Hangzhou Asian Games and four medals across three world championships since he failed to medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

“The Tokyo Olympics were disappointing as I did not have much experience, but I want to show my accumulated experience at the Paris Olympics,” Hwang said.

The Paris Games will also be an opportunity for Lee to secure his first Olympic medal in his second Olympics, while it will be Kim Seo-yeong’s fourth time competing at the Games.

Alongside swimming, Korea will also participate in artistic swimming and diving. Korea has yet to medal in either discipline.

Kim Woo-min will begin Korea’s quest to medal with his 400-meter race scheduled on July 27, a day after the Olympics start.

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