Kim Young-beom shatters Asian Games 50m freestyle record in heats

At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Kim Young-beom lowered the Asian Games benchmark in the men’s 50-meter freestyle heats, touching the wall in 21.71 seconds and surpassing the prior record of 21.72 held by his compatriot Ji Yu-chan. Ji, who recorded 22.23 seconds in the same heat, finished third and will join Kim in the final scheduled for Monday evening, together with eight other competitors. The 20-year-old, who earned a silver medal in the 100m freestyle the previous day, praised the performance as proof that his hard work paid off and emphasized staying focused for the final.

He noted that records rarely fall in preliminary rounds, adding that any margin in the 50m can be decisive. Ji expressed satisfaction with his best time of the year and looks forward to challenging Kim’s new mark in the medal race. Both swimmers highlighted a friendly rivalry that could push South Korean sprint swimming to new heights.