Joel Jin Nwamadi runs personal best in 200 meters, eyes national record at championships 작성일 05-13 33 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/05/13/0000088382_001_20260513195109254.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Joel Jin Nwamadi crosses the finish line first in the men’s 100-meter final at the 80th National Athletics Championships at Jeongseon Sports Complex in Gangwon on May 12. [KOREA ASSOCIATION OF ATHLETICS FEDERATIONS] </em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Korean sprinting sensation Joel Jin Nwamadi inched closer to setting a national record by running a personal best time in the men's 200-meter race at the National Athletics Championships on Wednesday, just a day after narrowly missing the country's 100-meter record. <br> <br> The 20-year-old sprinter, who runs with Yecheon County Office, posted a time of 20.50 seconds in the 200-meter semifinal at Jeongseon Sports Complex in Gangwon on Wednesday, finishing first in his heat with a powerful burst down the stretch. <br><br>The time marked a personal best and was 0.1 seconds off the Korean national record of 20.40, set by Park Tae-geon in 2018. It also ranks as the fourth-fastest 200-meter time in Korean history. <br> <br> The second- and third-fastest marks belong to Jang Jae-keun, who ran 20.41 in 1985, and Ko Seung-hwan of Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall, who clocked 20.45 last year. <br> <br> The performance came one day after Nwamadi nearly broke the national record in the men’s 100 meters. <br> <br> In Tuesday’s final, he ran 10.09 seconds — just 0.02 seconds shy of the Korean record of 10.07 — though the result was not eligible for official recognition because of a tail wind of 2.7 meters per second, above the allowable limit. <br> <br> Still, the run strengthened expectations that the national record could soon fall. <br> <br> Starting in lane six of the second semifinal heat on Wednesday, Nwamadi surged ahead late to finish comfortably in first place. <br> <br> Seo Min-jun of Seocheon County Office placed second in 20.65 seconds, while Lee Jae-sung of Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall also advanced to the final after recording the same time in the first semifinal heat. <br> <br> Coaches say Nwamadi’s recent rise owes partly to offseason work focused on strength. <br> <br> During winter training, the sprinter added around 3 to 4 kilograms of muscle mass, with coaches prioritizing explosive power over fixing perceived weaknesses in his start. <br> <br> “People say Nwamadi is slow out of the blocks, but we believed that part would improve naturally,” said Ha Kyung-soo, head coach of Korea’s national sprint team. “Rather than focusing too much on his start, we concentrated on training that could further maximize his greatest strength — speed.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/05/13/0000088382_002_20260513195109319.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Sprinters Biwesa Daniel Kashama of Ansan City Hall, left, and Joel Jin Nwamadi of Yecheon County Office [KOREA ASSOCIATION OF ATHLETICS FEDERATIONS]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Nwamadi’s rivalry with fellow sprinter Biwesa Daniel Kashama of Ansan City Hall has also energized Korea’s sprint scene, with the two repeatedly pushing each other to faster times. <br> <br> Observers say the competition is having a broader ripple effect on Korean track and field. <br> <br> “This year, the rivalry between Nwamadi and Kashama has created a competitive dynamic that is improving other athletes’ performances as well,” said Yoon Yeo-chun, a track and field commentator. “Compared to last year, more athletes are running in the 10.1- and 10.2-second range in the 100 meters.” <br> <br> The men’s 200-meter final is scheduled for Thursday at 3:05 p.m., the final day of the championships. <br><br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.</i> 관련자료 이전 '같이 삽시다' 황신혜 "전인화=상남자…외모에 속지 마" 05-13 다음 '최강 中 격침' 女 배드민턴, 두둑한 세계선수권 우승 포상금 받았다 05-13 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
