(Asiad) Swimmer all smiles on eve of 1st race

On the eve of the first race at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, swimmer Hwang Sun-woo appeared elated, as if he were about to embark on a shopping spree for toys, expressing sheer delight with his recent training session. The 23-year-old, already boasting six Asian Games medals, is poised to potentially embark on a medal spree if he can translate his excitement into performance.

Hwang will compete in the men's 100-meter freestyle event at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Sunday, the opening day of medal races following Saturday's opening ceremony. Focusing on the speed of the race, Hwang engaged in power training and felt great, stating that he is feeling at 99 percent and aims to acquire the remaining one percent before the race.

The 100m is not Hwang's specialty, and he will face a formidable opponent, Pan Zhanle of China, the world record holder with a time of 46.40 seconds. Despite Pan's speed, Hwang remains confident, stating that he will strive to keep pace with his rival and will adopt a relaxed approach to the race, hoping to give his best shot. Hwang reminisces about the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, where he made his first international breakthrough at the 2021 Olympics, setting an Asian record in the 100m freestyle and breaking an 11-year national record in the 200m freestyle. The familiarity of the venue seems to have contributed to his positive training experience.