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[Asian Games] On the podium with Hwang Sun-woo... Ho-Jun Lee "I have Improved my Records and Matured Over the Past 5 Years"
Reached the finals with Hwang Sun-woo in the 200m freestyle world championships.
Hojun Lee (22, Daegu Metropolitan City Hall) placed 7th (1 minute 48.10 seconds) in the men's 200m freestyle at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
Over the course of five years, Ho-Jun Lee rose from ‘Asian Games finalist’ to ‘World Championship finalist’. 안전놀이터
Hojun Lee ranked 6th in the men's 200m freestyle race at the 2022 Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships held last month with a time of 1 minute 46.04 seconds.
Together with Hwang Seon-woo (20, Gangwon Provincial Office), he made history by becoming the first Korean athlete to advance to the finals at the same time in the history of the World Aquatics Championships.
At the Hangzhou Asian Games, which opens on the 23rd, there may be a pleasant scene when Hwang Sun-woo and Lee Ho-jun reach the podium together in the individual event.
After arriving at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on the 21st, Lee Ho-jun said, "I will be playing the Asian Games again for the first time in five years.
My records have improved a lot and I have matured mentally.
I have prepared very hard.
I want to get good results this time." “He said.
The ‘good results’ he mentioned were breaking his personal best record and winning a medal.
The structure of the men's 200m freestyle at the Hangzhou Asian Games seen from the outside is a 'two-way match' between Hwang Sun-woo and Fan Zhanle (China).
Sunwoo Hwang won two consecutive medals in the men's 200m freestyle world championships in Budapest in 2022 and Fukuoka in 2023.
The personal best record in this event is 1 minute 44.42 seconds.
Pan Zhenle's personal best record for the 200m freestyle is 1 minute 44.65 seconds.
However, Lee Ho-jun's performance at the Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships was better.
Van Zanler finished in a tie for 10th place in the semifinals and failed to advance to the finals, but Hojun Lee secured a ticket to the finals by finishing in 6th place with a time of 1:45.93.
Regarding the situation in which the other two athletes are in the spotlight, Lee Ho-jun said, “Fan Zhanle is the player with a better record than my personal best (1 minute 45.70 seconds),” and added, “Hwang Sun-woo and Fan Zhanle are receiving more attention, so I can maintain my pace without any pressure.”
“Yes,” he calmly accepted.
Of course, the competitive spirit does not disappear.
Ho-Jun Lee said, "If you look at your speed during training, you can easily challenge for a medal.
Of course, what is more important than training is actual competition," and added, "My goal is to break my personal best record.
If I achieve this goal, I will also be able to get a medal at the Asian Games."
He said in a heavy voice, "The training results are better than at the World Championships in July.
My physical condition has also improved.
If I play with a positive mind, I will be able to achieve what I want."
Hojun Lee also aspires to win the men's 800m relay, where he will team up with Sunwoo Hwang, Woomin Kim, and Jaehoon Yang.