Veteran Swimmer An Se-hyeon Targets 2028 Olympics After Asian Games Comeback

South Korean swimmer An Se-hyeon has set her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after completing an Asian Games comeback that brought her two bronze medals and renewed confidence in the pool.

An, who is approaching her 31st birthday, returned to the continental competition in Tokyo after missing the previous Asian Games. Her latest medals added to a record that already included two bronzes from the 2018 Games in Jakarta and a silver from the 2014 edition.

She helped South Korea take bronze in the women’s 4x100-meter medley relay at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Friday. After the race, An said the competition could become a turning point in her career and outlined her ambition to earn a place on the national team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The comeback carried particular meaning because An had struggled with mental barriers that once left her reluctant to go near the water. Her return to the Asian Games stage showed progress, but she made clear that she was not satisfied with her performances.

An had aimed to swim in the 25-second range in the women’s 50-meter butterfly. Instead, she recorded 26.66 seconds and finished seventh in Friday’s final. She said she would try to reach her target at a national competition in the coming weeks or at national team trials next spring.

The Tokyo meet also reunited An with longtime international rivals Zhang Yufei of China and Rikako Ikee of Japan. During the medal ceremony, Zhang, who won four gold medals at the Games, exchanged one of her gold-colored mascot dolls for An’s bronze-colored mascot. An said the swimmers had become friendlier after competing against each other for nearly a decade.

She also met former personal coach Michael Bohl, who now leads China’s swimming team. An said Bohl welcomed her return to competition, another reminder of the relationships she rebuilt during the meet.

An leaves Tokyo with results that fell short of her time goals but with a clearer path toward another Olympic campaign. Her immediate challenge will be improving her sprint speed while maintaining a place in South Korea’s relay plans. The veteran said she intends to use the frustration from this meet as motivation rather than treat the Asian Games as an endpoint.