Athletics men’s high jumper Woo Sang-hyuk (28, Yongin City Hall) is embarking on his third Olympic challenge.
Woo, who will serve as the co-flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alongside swimmer Kim Seo-young, will compete in the high jump preliminaries at the Stade de France in Paris, France, at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday.
He must finish in the top 12 out of 31 athletes to advance to the final.
Woo is one of only three members of the “ultra-mini Korean athletics team” in Paris, along with Choi Byung-kwang (Samsung Electronics) in the men’s 20-kilometer race and Kim Jang-woo (Armed Forces Athletic Corps) in the men’s triple jump.
After failing to qualify at Rio de Janeiro 2016, Woo cleared 2.26 meters (26 feet), he went on to clear 2.35 meters (35 feet) at Tokyo 2020, where he finished fourth in the track and field event, South Korea’s highest-ever Olympic finish in track and field.
The Tokyo Games catapulted Woo into a world-class jumper.
He won the World Indoor Championships in 2022 (2.34m), finished second at the World Outdoor Championships (2.35m) and won the Diamond League Final in 2023 (2.35m), and his list of historic milestones for Korean athletics continues to grow.
Now, an Olympic podium is his dream goal. A spot in the middle of the field would be perfect.
Woo, who has a best of 2.36 meters, cleared 2.33 meters this year.
Woo will compete for gold against Jean-Marco Tamberi (ITA), Hamish Kerr (NZL), defending champion Harrison-Shelby McCullough (USA) and the ‘best jumper in the world’ Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar).
Woo spent three weeks at the Team Korea Paris Platform, a preliminary camp organized by the Korean Sports Federation near Paris, to improve his conditioning before moving into the Olympic Village on Thursday, three days before the final.
Kim will compete in the triple jump qualifier at 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 8.
U.S. Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour stars Ko Jin-young, Kim Hyo-joo and Yang Hee-young will tee off in the first round at Le Golf National in Guiancourt, near Paris.
Ko will tee off at 4:55 p.m. against defending Tokyo 2020 champion Nelly Korda (USA) in the first round of the women’s golf event. Kim Hyo-joo will tee off at 5:11 p.m. ET on Sunday and Yang Hee-young will follow at 6:55 p.m. ET.
The trio will be looking to win South Korea’s first gold medal in the event in eight years, following Rio 2016 winner Park In-bee (36). 바카라사이트