Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo speaks during a press conference at Jincheon County, North Chungcheong, on Aug. 25.YONHAP
Nagoya will be the main host city of the upcoming Asian Games, but all swimming races will take place at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in the Japanese capital next month.
And that suits Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo just fine.
Hwang, aged 23, enjoyed his first international breakthrough at the same arena at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Though he did not win a medal then, Hwang still set an Asian record in the men's 100-meter freestyle and broke an 11-year national record in the 200-meter freestyle.
It launched Hwang's evolution into a force in international swimming. He would go on to win one gold, two silvers and one bronze medal at world championships over the next three years, and he collected six medals at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, including two gold medals.
“That is the arena that made me the swimmer that I am today,” Hwang said Tuesday at a joint press conference for the national swimming team at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon County. “And just as I did at the Tokyo Olympics, I really want to show everything I have this time.”
It has not been all smooth sailing for Hwang, though. Despite being the reigning world champion, Hwang failed to qualify for the 200-meter freestyle final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Reflecting on his second Olympics, Hwang said he might have been trying to do too much in Paris.
“Both physically and mentally, I forced the issue because I wanted to do well and break records,” Hwang said. “After the Olympics, I decided to change my mental approach and have a fresh start.”
Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo trains in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong, on Aug. 20.YONHAP
Hwang said that shift helped him set an Asian record in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 1:43.92 last October, during the National Sports Festival, and also perform well at other domestic and international races.
“Ahead of this year's Asian Games, I have been pretty relaxed and feeling comfortable,” Hwang added. “It helps that I got the results I wanted at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou. I am not feeling much pressure this time. I just want to be able to execute things I have been practicing.”
Hwang will compete in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle races, and also the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter freestyle relays.
“I want to win medals in every race that I enter and improve on my personal records,” Hwang said. “In the 200-meter freestyle, I think if I can get into the 1 minute and 43 second range, it should be good enough for gold.”
Korea is the defending Asian Games champion in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. Hwang helped the team set the Asian record of 7:01.73, but it has since been toppled by China with 7:00.91.
Hwang predicted a tight, three-horse race between Korea, China and Japan for the relay crown.
“I think it will come down to whose swimmers feel the best on the day of the race and how good their chemistry is,” Hwang said. “China has the Asian record now, but I think we also have a shot.”
