Faster Than Phelps: 17-Yr-Old Hwang Sun Woo Hits 1:45.92 LCM 200 Free WJR (original) (raw)

2020 KOREAN NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS

17-year-old Hwang Sun Woo already impressed at these 2020 Korean National Team Trials, taking down a national record in the men’s 100m free yesterday.

Stopping the clock in a lifetime best of 48.25, Hwang’s outing overtook the previous NR of 48.42 Olympic medalist, and most successful swimmer from the nation ever, Park Tae Hwan, put on the books back in 2014. You can read more about Hwang’s swim using the day 2 recap link above.

However, buckle your seat belts as you’re about to learn that the teen has now put the 200m free national record on notice. Busting out a monster time of 1:45.92, Hwang topped the podium by well over 2 seconds to get under the 1:46-threshold for the first time in his young career.

Opening in the first half of 51.78 and closing in 54.14, Hwang’s time tonight laid waste to his already eye-popping personal best of 1:46.31 thrown down just last month. That mark already put him among Asia’s best, ranking him as the 10th fastest man ever from the continent.

However, entering entirely new territory with his 1:45.92, Hwang sits just over a second outside Park’s national record of 1:44.80. His performance this evening rockets him up to become Asia’s 7th fastest performer all-time.

All-Time Asian Performers – Men’s LCM 200 Free

  1. Sun Yang (CHN), 1:44.39 2017
  2. Park Taehwan (KOR), 1:44.80 2010
  3. Katsuo Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.22 2019
  4. Kosuke Hagino (JPN), 1:45.23 2014
  5. Sho Uchida (JPN), 1:45.24 2009
  6. Ji Xinjie (CHN), 1:45.48 2019
  7. Hwang Sun Woo (KOR), 1:45.92 2020

For additional perspective, Hwang’s time tonight would register as an American age mark, overtaking the Michael Phelps’ 17-18 National Age Record of 1:45.99 the GOAT put up in 2003.

Hwang’s outing would have rendered the Korean as the 8th place finisher at last year’s FINA World Aquatic Championships.

As a final resume addition, Hwang can now call himself the World Junior Record holder, with his 1:45.92 stunner easily dipping under Aussie Elijah Winnington‘s 1:46.13 that’s been in place since 2018. Splits for Winnington’s swim included 51.44/54.69 for his 1:46.13.

Race starts at 15:22

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Michael Phelps

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.

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