2023 Asian Games: Baek Inchul Hits Korean 50 Fly Record In First China-Less Podium

19TH ASIAN GAMES

The men’s 50m butterfly final was among the events on tonight’s agenda for the penultimate finals session of the 19th Asian Games. And, for the first time in this competition, the host nation of China found itself off the podium.

Getting to the wall first in the men’s 50m fly was Korea’s Baek Inchul, with the 23-year-old clinching gold in a time of 23.29. That effort represented a new Games Record, overtaking his own mark of 23.39 produced in the morning heats. Prior to that, the meet mark stood at the 23.46 China’s Shi Yang logged at the 2014 edition of the meet.

For his part, Baek’s career-quickest result entering this competition stood at the 23.50 he posted both in March of this year, as well as in the heats of the event at the 2023 World Championships. There in Fukuoka, Baek ultimately placed 23rd.

Behind Baek this evening was Teong Tzen Wei of Singapore who touched in 23.34 for silver while Kazaksthan’s Adilbek Mussin bagged bronze in 24.44.

The highest-finishing Chinese swimmer in tonight’s 50m fly final was Wang Changdao who placed 4th in 23.46. Wang already snagged silver in the 100m butterfly earlier in the competition.

As mentioned, this men’s 50m fly event represents the sole race of the entire Games thus far on both the men’s and women’s sides that did not have a Chinese athlete land on the podium.

Signaling China’s dominance at these Asian Games, the only other events in which the nation did not capture gold or silver include the men’s 50m free (Pan Zhanle, bronze), men’s 400m IM (Wang Shun, bronze) and women’s 100m breast (Yang Changbronze).

In This Story

0
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

0 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »