South Korean swimming sensation Hwang Sun-woo (20-Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province) became the first South Korean athlete to win back-to-back medals at the long course (50 meters) World Championships.
Hwang set a new Korean record of 1:44.42 to finish third in the men’s 200-meter freestyle final at the 2023 International Swimming Federation World Aquatics Championships at Fukuoka Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall in Fukuoka, Japan, at 8:02 p.m. on Friday.
It was the second consecutive medal for Hwang, who won silver in this event at Budapest last year with a Korean record of 1:44.47, and bronze a year later.
‘Bokbok’ Mashu Richards (GBR), 20, was first in 1:44.30, while Tom Dean (GBR), 23, the 200m freestyle champion at Tokyo and third in Budapest last year, was second in 1:44.32. Strong favorite David Popovic (18-ROM) was fourth in 1:44.90.
Popovic led the field through the first 100 meters of the race, with Sunwoo Hwang in third. After a late spurt, Hwang moved into second place after 150 meters and overtook Popovich for first place after 170 meters. However, she was overtaken by Richards and Dean in the closing stages of the touch battle and finished third. Lee Ho-joon (22, Daegu Metropolitan Government), who became the first Korean swimmer to reach the final together, finished sixth in 1:46.04.
Only Park Tae-hwan and Hwang Sun-woo have ever medaled in the business event at the Long Course World Championships. However, Hwang is the first to win back-to-back medals.
Park won gold in the 400-meter freestyle and bronze in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2007 Melbourne Games, while Hwang failed in all events at the 2009 Rome Games but bounced back with gold in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2011 Shanghai Games. 안전놀이터