Park Wins 200 Freestyle at Korean Olympic Trials in a Time of 1:46.31

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.

Park Tae Hwan won his second national title on Tuesday taking the men’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:46.31. Park won the 1500 freestyle on Monday, which was the first time he has raced since serving an 18-month suspension for a positive steroid test in 2014.

His time currently places him eighth in the world rankings.

The 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the event was well off his lifetime best of 1:44.80, which he recorded in 2010. Park’s time is over a second and a half faster than the FINA A standard of 1:47.97.

According to the Korean Olympic Committee rules 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, which means he will not compete in Rio.

In articles in both the Korea Times and Yohap News it is suggested that the Olympic Committee will feel public pressure to overturn their decision.

In the women’s 200 IM Kim Seo-Yeong and Nam Yu Seon both swam faster than the FINA A standard of 2:14.26. Kim, who placed 17th in the 400 IM at the London Olympics, won the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:13.18 while Nam finished second in a time of 2:13.86.

Kim set a new championship record and was not far off the national record of 2:12.85 set by Choi Hye-Ra in 2010.

An Se-hyeon, who represented South Korea at the 2015 World Championships, won the women’s 50 butterfly in a new national record time of 26.30. An broke her own record of 26.62, which she set in the prelims beating the previous mark of 26.76 set by Ryu Yoon-ji in 2008.