South Korea's long-distance swimming star Kim Woo-min (Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office) is set to compete in the men's 1500m freestyle, beginning his quest for a second consecutive medal.
Kim will participate in the men's 1500m freestyle event at the Tokyo Aquatics Center on September 22 during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He won a silver medal in this event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
At the Hangzhou Games, Kim secured gold medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle, as well as the 800m relay. This time, he will compete in a total of six events, including the 200m freestyle and the 400m relay.
On September 21, Korean swimming gained momentum as Kim Young-beom (Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office) set a new competition record in the men's 50m freestyle, earning the first gold medal for the swimming team at this event.
In the final of the men's 1500m freestyle, Kim Woo-min will be joined by rising star Kim Jun-woo (Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office). Born in 2007, Kim Jun-woo contributed to a bronze medal in the men's relay alongside Kim Woo-min, Hwang Sun-woo, Yang Jae-hoon (both from Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office), Lee Ho-jun (Jeju City Hall), and Kim Min-seob (Gyeongbuk Sports Council) the previous day.
Fencing star Song Se-ra (Busan Metropolitan City Hall) will compete in the women's individual épée event at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, aiming for her first individual gold medal at a major international competition.
Ranked third in the world in women's épée, Song holds the highest position among Asian athletes. She won the individual title at the World Championships this year, marking her return to the top after four years.
Song has two individual titles from the World Championships and a team gold medal from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. However, she has yet to secure an individual gold medal at a major international event. The South Korean women's épée team currently ranks first in the world, giving Song a chance to pursue a double gold at this tournament.
Meanwhile, Shin Yu-bin, who will serve as the flag bearer for the South Korean delegation at the opening ceremony, will team up with Lim Jong-hoon to begin their quest for a mixed doubles gold medal in table tennis at the Sky Hall in Aichi.
The South Korean baseball team, led by manager Ryu Ji-hyun, will face Hong Kong in their second match of Group B on September 22 at 6:30 PM at the Toyohashi City Stadium in Aichi. The South Korean football team, which has already secured a spot in the quarterfinals, will play its final group match against Saudi Arabia at 7 PM at the Nagoya Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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