Challenge! For the first time in open water history, Kim Soo-ah, who came from the irrefutable first place in the Taegeuk mark Oh Se-beom, ranked first in the women's category

Nov 17, 2025

photo courtesy of the Korea Swimming Federation

'Hope of Korea's Open Water' Oh Se-beom (Daejeon Sports Council) and Kim Soo-ah (Seoul Dunchon High School 3rd grade) ranked first in the 2026 Open Water Swimming national team selection match.

Oh Se-beom (Daejeon Sports Council) and Kim Soo-ah (Seoul Dunchon High School 3), both ranked first in the 2026 Open Water Swimming National Competition held at the Nakdonggang River Water Sports Experience Center in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province on the 16th.

Oh finished the 10km in 1:58:34:94 and Kim Soo-ah finished the game in 2:10:20:09.

The participants made a total of four rounds of the 2.5km course near the Gumi Nakdonggang River Water Leports Experience Center. Starting with the Doha event in 2024 and this year's Singapore event, Oh has won two consecutive World Swimming Championships and three consecutive Taegeuk marks since his first attempt at open water swimming, and every year, he is working more earnestly than ever before"This year, there were more players than before, so I was able to try various games and strategies. I was more intense than ever not only in physical strength but also in psychology, but I'm happy to maintain my pace until the end and win the championship." He then expressed his affection for open water swimming, saying, "We don't have open water swimming Olympian yet, but I also think I want to work harder and become the first one in the future."

Second place in the men's category is Yoon Joon-sang (Seogae-si City Hall) with a time of 1:59:29:65. Yoon Joon-sang (Seogae-si City Hall), who ranked second in his first open water swimming practice, said "Management and open water swimming were much different than I thought. "The current was severe, it was difficult to set the direction by looking at the buoy in front, and to fight with other players, but it was as fun as it was hard and rewarding when I finished the game, but I'm really happy to be a member of the national team at my first attempt." "I would like to thank Jae-hoon and Shin Dong-ho, the same team who gave me various advice on how to wear a swimsuit, when the biggest crisis will come, and how to deal with various situations," he said.

Kim Soo-ah, who proved to be the strongest in Korea this year following last year in the women's category, said, `I was a little nervous because I took the CSAT three days ago and arrived in Gumi later than the other participants, but I did my best to do it one more time"If my goal at the last Singapore World Swimming Championships was just to complete the game, I will work harder to become a more memorable player next year as I will be in my second year of the national team." expressed his determination.

The second place in the women's category was Lee Hae-rim (Gyeongbuk Provincial Government), who recorded 2:10:29:14 and re-wrapped the national flag a year after 2024.

A total of 22 players, including 15 male players and 7 female players, challenged the selection match, the highest number ever. It reflected the changed perception and interest in open water swimming. The men's team and the women's team were all completed. The federation will finally confirm the national team at the next performance improvement committee and select those who will participate in next year's open water swimming national team reinforcement training and those who will be dispatched to the open water swimming international competition.

photo courtesy of the Korea Swimming Federation

Meanwhile, the Korean Swimming Federation held a lesson for open water swimming coaches under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism during this competition. On the 15th and 16th, Japan's national open water swimming coach Shin Ota was invited as a lecturer to share know-how such as the characteristics and training methods of Japanese players who are both managing and open water swimming, how to set goals for open water swimmers, and plans for reinforcement training. Shin Ota is the teacher of Ichika Kazimoto, who won the women's 5km bronze medal and the women's 3km knockout sprint gold medal at the Singapore World Swimming Championships in July. Kim In-gyun, the leader of the national open water swimming team (coach of Gyeongbuk Provincial Government), said "It was very helpful that the leader who won the first gold medal in open water swimming at the World Swimming Championships in Asia came in person and vividly delivered the scene and how to train, and it was even more beneficial because athletes interested in open water swimming also participated in the class." expressed his feelings. "The impressive part is that a player who lags behind in management does not turn to open water swimming, but that Japan started management with open water swimming from the beginning for the next generation of swimming prospects and later became separate according to the competence and characteristics of the players, and some management players who were in a slump discovered and learned how to overcome the slump through open water swimming."

As part of the "2025 Strategic Sports Promotion Project" sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Swimming Federation is pushing to strengthen the mid- to long-term competitiveness of Korean swimming, including management, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming, in addition to open water swimming. It aims to lay the groundwork for qualifying for the 2028 LA Olympics and winning medals by providing not only athletes but also leaders and referees with opportunities for training and self-development.

Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.