(LEAD) (Asiad) Kim Seung-won takes bronze in women's 100m backstroke
(ATTN: ADDS details, comments from para 4; CHANGES photo)
By Yoo Jee-ho
TOKYO, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- Kim Seung-won earned bronze in the women's 100-meter backstroke at the Asian Games on Wednesday for her second medal in swimming this week.
The 16-year-old Kim clocked 1:00.10 to place third at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Peng Xuwei of China won gold in 59.30 seconds, and Rio Shirai of Japan grabbed silver in 59.89 seconds.
Kim led the race at the 50m turn with a time of 28.60 seconds, but her last 50m split of 31.50 seconds was only the sixth-fastest in the 10-swimmer final.
Kim earlier won bronze in the 50m backstroke on Monday. Then about an hour after the 100m backstroke Wednesday, Kim helped South Korea win bronze in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
Kim Seung-won of South Korea poses with her bronze medal won in the women's 100-meter backstroke swimming event at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 23, 2026. (Yonhap)
Kim appeared to be ahead of Shirai down the stretch, but she admitted afterward she had mistimed her final stroke.
"I should have touched the pad earlier than I ended up doing," Kim said. "But other than that, I swam the way I am capable of. In training, I have touched 28.50 seconds, and I feel like I can be competitive against world-class swimmers in the first 50m."
Kim Seung-won of South Korea competes in the women's 100-meter backstroke swimming final at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 23, 2026. (Yonhap)
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