The Asian Junior Athletics Championships (U20) will be held from June 4-7 at Yecheon Stadium in North Gyeongsang Province.
This is the first time the Asian Junior Championships will be held in South Korea since the first edition in 1986.
431 athletes from 27 countries will compete for the title in 45 events (22 for men and women, and one mixed event).
South Korea will be represented by 65 athletes, including 35 men and 30 women.
The two athletes of most interest are Choi Jin-woo (Ulsan Sports Science University) in the men’s high jump and Park Si-hoon (Geum Ogo) in the men’s shot put.
Choi Jin-woo won the Asian Under-18 Championships in Kuwait in October last year with a meet record of 2.21 meters.
Last year, he cleared 2.23 meters to rank third in the world and first in Asia in the men’s under-20 high jump.
The Asian Under-20 Championships men’s high jump record is 2.31 meters, set in 2010 in Hanoi, Vietnam, by Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar), the world’s top jumper and Woo’s rival.
Choi Jin-woo said, “I’m currently training a new jog (the process of running before jumping). “It will be difficult to beat the meet record, but I want to show that I have improved more than I did at the U18s, and my goal is to win gold again,” said Choi.
Park Si-hoon wins the men’s shot put at the Asian Youth Championships
[Photo courtesy of Korea Athletics Federation. Resale and DB prohibited] photo@yna.co.kr
Park won gold with a throw of 20.11 meters at the Asian Under-18 Championships in Uzbekistan in April this year.
Only a high school freshman, Park’s growth has been rapid. He is considered a favorite to win the under-20 title.
Korea Athletics is also hoping for medals in the throwing events메이저놀이터.
The men’s discus thrower Park Min-jae, javelin thrower Chung Joon-seok (Chungnam University), hammer thrower Jang Young-min (Iri University), women’s hammer thrower Kim Tae-hee (Iri University), shot put thrower Park So-jin (Geum Ogo) and discus thrower Lee Hye-min (Gyeonggi University) are among the medal favorites according to the Korean Athletics Federation.
In track and field, promising athletes such as Kim Ji-yeon (Daejeon Shinil Girls’ High School) in the women’s high jump and Joel Jin Namadi (Gimpo First Public High School) in the men’s 100 meters will also challenge for Korean records in their respective events.