2016 Dong-A Swimming Competition (Korean Olympic Trials)
- Monday, April 25th – Friday, April 29th
- Gwangju Aquatic Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet Site
- Meet Results
The site of the 2015 World University Games is hosting this year’s Korean Olympic Trials, as around 1400 aspiring Olympians are gathering at the Gwangju Aquatic Center this week to compete for spots on their nation’s roster for Rio.
Among the competitors is one man who will knowingly not be named on the Korean roster, no matter his results. Park Tae Hwan is fresh off his 18-month ban from having tested positively for steroids back in 2014, but is still held to the Korean Olympic Committee’s rule that drug-related banned athletes are barred from representing national teams for 3 years beginning on the day the suspension ends. In Park’s case, the 18-month ban ended on March 2nd, so that is the date upon which his 3-year national team ban begins.
The situation didn’t stop the 26-year-old Olympic medalist from going hard today, however, as Park took the men’s 1500m freestyle event easily in a time of 15:10.95. The mark is well off his best of 14:47.38, as well as checks in far from the world’s top 25, but it was enough to take a national title by just under 15 seconds in Gwangju. Of note, his performance today also falls under the FINA A standard of 15:14.77. Park is scheduled to swim the 100m/200m/400m freestyle events later in the competition.
The remaining events of the men’s and women’s 50m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 200m breaststroke, saw meet records broken in all but the women’s 200m breaststroke. Jungdoo Yang highlighted the night by breaking new ground in the men’s splash n’ dash. Yang took the men’s 50m free in a new championship mark of 22.36, a time which also now sits as the new Korean National Record. Yang overtook his own previous time of 22.48 he set at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.
Is he back on the juice? That a reasonably good time.
I feel it’s unfair to all the other athletes he’s able to compete. International consequences should be much harsher for doping. An 18 month suspension for doping is way too lax. Micheal Phelps got a 6 Month suspension for smoking pot which will probably be legalized in all the United States in the next 10 years and would only inhibit his performance in the pool. According to fina smoking pot in 3 different instances (and being caught) is equivalent to doping in terms of suspension. I think athletes caught doping one time should be suspended a minimum of 2 years and second offenders kicked out of the sport for good. These lax punishments only encourage a culture of doping that… Read more »
This man is a proven drug cheat. He should not be allowed to compete. It’s not fair for the athletes who don’t cheat.
Based on the news, Park will still get a chance if he swims good times in the trials.
Jungdoo personal record is 22:32 which is the national record
when are SK trials?
they are from monday to friday