The pre-meet buzz in Incheon, South Korea for the 2014 South Korean National Championships was Park Tae Hwan’s quest to make the Asian Games roster (which will be hosted in this same pool) in the 200 and IMs.
But on Wednesday, as the trials began, he whispered a reminder that he is still one of the world’s best middle-distance freestyles. In 2014, make that the best so far, at least in the 200, after swimming a 1:45.25. That cuts two-tenths off of Cameron McEvoy’s old world leading swim.
2014 LCM Men 200 Free TYR World Ranking
FRASER-HOLMES
1:45.08
View Top 51»2 Kosuke
HAGINOJPN 1.45.23 09/21 3 Tae Wan
PARKKOR 1.45.25 07/16 4 Sun
YANGCHN 1.45.28 09/21 5 Cameron
McEVOYAUS 1.45.46 04/02
As an event winner, he’ll qualify for the 2014 Asian Games, as will all event winners. He’s the two-time defending Asian Games champion in the event, and this time is already good enough to have won in 2006 or 2010. The trend at the Asian Games, though, is huge improvements in times with every edition, especially in the men’s events, and especially in the middle-distance freestyles. A medal in 2006 was a 1:49, which became a 1:47 in 2010, and with China’s improvements will be at least a 1:45 this year. That doesn’t make Park less than the favorite, however, between now and late September when the Asian Games kick off, he’s gotta find another few tenths to drop.
The rest of the first day’s results were solid. Choi Kyu-woong won the men’s 100 breaststroke in a new Meet Record of 1:02..08, which is still a second shy of his own National Record. The women’s event was taken by Back Su Yeon in 1:09.57, just out-touching Kim Hye-jin’s 1:09.65.
The only other race on Wednesday was the 50 butterfly, where Yun Seok Huan broke another Meet Record, going 24.24. In the women’s race, two went under the old contest standard, with Whang Seo Jin beating An Se Hyeon 27.15-27.16.
Sun went 1.46.1 at China Nationals…not 1.44.5! I think park has the edge but will have to work really hard to get the gold. This is the year where park can beat sun again because of sun’s time away from trainning and his foot surgey. However I would never, ever, ruled out sun
Sun went 1:44:47 at All China Games on 2013 even without focus as we saw his results on 400/800/1500 Worlds.. Sun went 1:46:1 on Chinese Champs this year, after just returning..
Kosuke Hagino, Park Tae Hwan, Sun Yang.
It’ll be a good final. I’m calling Park, followed by Hagino, Sun for the bronze. Sun for third because of his tumultuous year, but he could definitely pull second. Particularly if Hagino’s schedule is too demanding. Either way, Park for the win.
Sun on a bad year went 1:44 mid… I think he can hold that
It’s a long shot, sure, but I’m going with my gut on this one. I’ll be the first to say, though, that if Sun Yang has a pool, he has a chance to win it.
I think Sun has definitely slipped a notch or two in the past couple of years in his training and I’m excited to see if he’s back. If not then I think some of these other guys have a chance.
His technique is pleasing to the eye. I am glad to hear he is coming back.
Totally agree. I love watching swimmers with seemingly effortless perfect technique like Popov, Thorpe, Tae-Hwan, Muffat. So pleasing to the eye.
Always enjoyed watching Park swim. He had been a dominant force in them if distance freestyles for so long, it will be fun to see how his IMs turn out.
I think Park still has a trick or two up his sleeve. I would also expect that you’ll see South Korea start to become more of a world power in swimming in the future. They have a strong economy, and Tae-Hwan is a very, very popular athlete with massive exposure, and probably only second to Kim Yuna in idolation. That usually encourages more children to consider swimming as an option.
Ya Josh, the sad thing is South Korea has more of a democratic process and free market economy than the U.S. now. We are rapidly turning into a communist nation like North Korea under this administration
Are you serious? lol the world has never seen a “communist nation” and North Korea is the furthest thing from it haha. Please read a book 🙂
I don’t think this is an appropriate comment for this site. Please stay away from politics.
Less than the favorite? Sun Yang is the favorite if he swim and swim the same ways as the last china Games..
I totally agree!