World Championships, Day 3 Finals: Hwang Sunwoo Comes Through In Final 10 Metres To Win 200 Free
After claiming silver and bronze in the 200 free at the last two World Championships, Hwang Sunwoo reached the top of the podium in Doha.
The 20-year-old found another gear in the final 10m to go past Luke Hobson of the USA – who had taken the lead on the third 50 – and finished in 1:44.75, the fifth-fastest time of his career.
Danas Rapsys also overhauled Hobson for silver in 1:45.05 and his first world long-course medal with the United States athlete third in 1:45.26.
With that, Hwang became the first South Korean man to win the title over four lengths as he added gold in the long-course pool to the short-course crowns he claimed at Melbourne 2022 and Abu Dhabi 2021.
It was South Korea’s second title of the competition so far at the Aspire Dome following Kim Woomin’s 400 free gold.
Hwang Sunwoo: photo courtesy: A.Masini/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Since taking silver behind David Popovici at Budapest 2022 and gold at short-course worlds in December of that year, Hwang has added Fukuoka bronze and Asian Games gold.
He was just 0.01 outside Sun Yang’s Asian record of 1:44.39 in Hangzhou, one of six medals he won in China in September last year.
Hwang said:
“It was a pleasure to swim here today. This gold medal was very important for my career and finally I got it.
“I think the most important part of this race was the last 50m. I pushed it hard to the finish and it showed me that I am well prepared.
“This event is very painful and my body really hurts after this. But I can say that this is my most favourite one.”
Hwang led through 50 and 100m ahead of Hobson and Rafael Miroslaw of Germany before a 26.66 third 50 steered the American to the head of the field.
Hobson led by 0.40secs coming out of the final turn with Rapsys also putting on the burners but Hwang dug into all his reserves to come through for gold.
Lukas Martens was fourth (1:45.33) ahead of Germany teammate Miroslaw (1:45.84) followed by Olympic silver medallist Duncan Scott (1:45.86), Elijah Winnington (1:46.20) and Guilherme Costa (1:46.87).
Rapsys has previously touched first in a world final, having thought he’d won the 200 free at Gwangju 2019.
Danas Rapsys: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
However, he was DQd for moving on his blocks at which point Sun was elevated to first and Duncan Scott to third alongside Martin Malyutin of Russia.
Scott staged a silent protest and refused to stand with his fellow medallists for photos post-medal ceremony.
Now Rapsys can have his moment, saying:
“I was an unofficial gold medallist in 2019, now it’s silver, but in my mind it’s like gold, and it’s official this time.
“I tried to go faster but in the final you don’t know what’s going to happen, so that’s good.
“I couldn’t improve my time in the final but it was almost the same as in the semis.
“A final is different in everything, mentally it’s not the same.
“Our job in the water at the start of the year has been solid, so we need to work a little bit more now.”
