Nat'l swimming coach encouraged by growth of young medalists

Tokyo—The head coach of South Korea's national swimming team expressed optimism on Friday after witnessing the impressive performances of his younger athletes at the Asian Games in Japan. Speaking to South Korean media following the morning heats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, where the finals are scheduled for the evening, Kim Hyo-youl stated that his team can certainly compete outside of Asia.

Coming into Friday's session, South Korea had already secured one gold, five silver, and 11 bronze medals in the pool during the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. While they are unlikely to replicate that tally in Tokyo, Kim decided to focus on the positive, highlighting that several of his younger competitors had reached the podium.

Notable victories included Kim Young-beom, a 20-year-old, claiming the gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle, making it part of his five-medal haul. Park Si-eun, also 19, secured the silver in the women's 200-meter breaststroke event. Another 19-year-old, Kim Jun-woo, earned a joint silver medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle race. Among the youngest medalists, Kim Seung-won, a 16-year-old high school student, triumphed with bronze medals in both the women's 50-meter and 100-meter backstroke events.