"'King' 'Woomin's Tears' 'I thought it was burning down at 350m...My swimming is the secret to the medal."

Jul 28, 2024

The men's 400m freestyle final of the '2024 Paris Olympics" held at La Defense Arena in Paris, France on the 28th (Korea time). Kim Woo-min, who won the bronze medal, is proudly holding up the medal. Paris (France) = Reporter Chung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.7.28/

"I felt like my limbs were burning when I did 350m turn, but I thought it was a weight I had to bear for the Olympic medal."

Kim Woo-min's eyes were tearful when he entered the mixed zone after winning a brilliant bronze medal in the 400m freestyle at the Paris Olympics on the 28th (Korea time). Kim Woo-min said "I'm thrilled to see the medal. He said in a broadcast interview that he was in tears. "After the Tokyo Olympics, I was very reminded of the past three years of preparation, and my emotions came up. I'm really happy and happy that I'm rewarded with a medal for my hard work."

When asked about the secret of the medal, coach Jeon Dong-hyun kept ordering me to swim. The operation worked. The coach trusted me a lot. I thought he kept ordering me to swim because there was something he showed me in the training, so I believed that and I continued to race without getting caught up in the beginning."

The men's 400m freestyle final of the '2024 Paris Olympics" held at La Defense Arena in Paris, France on the 28th (Korea time). Kim Woo-min is cheering with his fist clenched after winning the bronze medal. Paris (France) = Reporter Chung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2024.7.28/

Kim Woo-min barely made it to the finals in seventh place in the preliminary round, but he achieved his dream of becoming a podium without shaking. The crisis changed the opportunity. He focused on his race in lane 1, and the situation where he came while watching the rival players' races in the final 350-400m section helped. Kim Woo-min said, `I saw other players when I went 350 meters, and I thought it would be worth a try. It was very hard when I went 350 m. After the last turn, I felt like my limbs were burning, but I thought it was a real weight to bear for the Olympic medal, and I endured it and overcame it well"He confessed his desperate situation. "Because I have such a good speed, it is my swimming that I run from the first half without being caught up by other players. I needed the stamina to support that, but I think I endured well in today's game."

When I first arrived at La Defense Arena, I saw the podium, but Kim Woo-min said he didn't go up on purpose. He promised to win a medal and kept his promise on this day. When Kim Woo-min went up to the award show, he thought, "In the end, I was going up with a medal, and I felt emotional several times in the middle. I said I wouldn't show it, but I'm a little embarrassed because I think it exploded during a broadcast interview, but this isn't shameful." "In the last 50m, I thought I should take that touchpad quickly without thinking about anything, and with that thought, I ran the last 50m. I touched it and heard cheers, but there were many people on the right holding the Korean flag. I saw what they liked and thought, 'Oh, did I do it?It occurred to me that ' The first thing I thought of was 'You made it'. Next, I wanted to thank the people who worked hard for this medal, the coach, the coach, the Korean Sports Council, the Swimming Federation, the Jincheon Training Center chefs, and everyone who cared for me," he said valiantly.

Kim Woo-min, who achieved his dream of winning his first medal in the Olympics, looked back on the path that the original team ran together over the past three years. Since our team is strong and energetic, everyone always encourages each other and gives each other a lot of trust and strength. So I never doubted myself. Whenever I do hard training, I'm a trainer. The coach always said, "'I'm sure I'm going to win a medal, I'm going to make an accident.'" I think it was not a joke," he repeatedly thanked. .

When asked if Hwang Sun-woo, his best friend and roommate, won the gold medal in lane 8 at the Melbourne Short Course World Championships last year, Kim Woo-min said, `It's been said since I got the first lane today. "I've heard a lot that South Korea is strong in lanes 1 and 8, so it gave me more strength." Kim Woo-min also wore his trademark gold necklace in the first medal race at the Olympics. His father, Kim Kyu-nam, is also wearing the same necklace as his son, Kim Woo-min. "It's a necklace that my parents gave me as a gift. I don't know why, but wearing this necklace gives me strength.", he boasted his family's strength.

Kim Woo-min said he won the Olympic medal before Hwang Sun-woo, who will compete in the 200m freestyle on the 28th. "Sun-woo is my roommate. I hope to have the best race tomorrow in good condition. If I win a medal tomorrow, I want to take a picture with him like I did in Doha."," he said with a big smile.

sky4us@sportschosun.com