Kim Woo-min Withdraws From Asian Games After Shoulder Injury Worsens

South Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min withdrew from the remainder of the Asian Games on Thursday after pain from an injured left shoulder worsened during the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay heats in Tokyo.

Kim led off for South Korea at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre and recorded a 50.01-second split, the slowest among the four members of the team. South Korea nevertheless advanced comfortably to the final with a time of 3 minutes, 19.55 seconds.

After the heat, Kim said the injury hurt more than he had expected and that he had become concerned while warming up. Although he initially felt capable of racing, he said he could not generate the power he wanted in his strokes. The Korea Swimming Federation later announced that he would not compete in the 400-meter freestyle on Friday.

The withdrawal ends a difficult competition for Kim, who revealed two days earlier that he had been racing with a partially torn labrum and rotator cuff in his left shoulder. He finished last in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Tuesday, an unexpected result for one of South Korea’s leading distance swimmers.

Kim said the shoulder stiffens at night and causes pain when he tries to lift it. He also acknowledged that coaches had advised him to stop competing to avoid aggravating the injury and to protect his prospects for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Kim said he had still wanted to take part in the relay rather than watch his teammates from the sidelines.

His exit is a setback for South Korea’s swimming campaign. Kim won three gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games and entered the Tokyo competition as a key member of the national team in both individual and relay events. His status had already become a concern after the 1,500-meter race, and Thursday’s relay confirmed that treatment had not produced enough improvement for him to continue safely.

The decision now shifts attention from immediate results to recovery. With the 400-meter freestyle removed from his schedule, Kim can begin assessing the injury and the treatment needed before returning to full training. South Korea’s relay squad, meanwhile, secured its place in Thursday evening’s final despite his limited split, keeping its medal campaign alive without risking another race from the injured swimmer.