'1 five-crown winner → 4 five-crown winners → 26 three-crown winners' Grand conclusion of the 55th National Youth Sports Festival 'Korean female sprinter Wang Seo-yoon sets new tournament record, archer Kim Ji-yul wins five crowns'

*This content was translated by AI.

The 55th National Youth Sports Festival (hereinafter Youth Sports Festival), Korea's largest sports festival for children and adolescents, successfully concluded its competition from the 23rd to the 26th.

Hosted by the Korea Sports Council (President Yoo Seung-min) and co-organized by Busan Metropolitan City, Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education, and Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council, the event was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Education, and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. A total of 29,099 athletes from 17 provinces and cities across the nation participated.

Athletes competed in 40 sports (27 events for the under-12 division and 40 events for the under-15 division) at 50 venues in the Busan area, including the Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

A total of 67 records were set at this tournament, including 15 new divisional records, 2 tied divisional records, 46 new tournament records, and 4 tied tournament records.

Notably, Wang Seo-yoon of Seoul in the under-15 girls' 100m event won with a time of 11.92 seconds, setting a new tournament record and drawing significant attention. At the final held on the 23rd at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Wang broke the previous record of 12.03 seconds (set in 1998) for the first time in 28 years, proving her potential as a next-generation hope for Korean female sprinters.

In the multi-crown category, Kim Ji-yul (Gyeongbuk·Yecheon Girls' Middle School) of archery in the under-15 girls' division claimed five crowns, earning the honor of the most multi-crown winner. Additionally, 7 four-crown winners, 26 three-crown winners, and 70 two-crown winners were crowned, totaling 104 multi-crown winners. Furthermore, 118 outstanding athletes were selected across the 40th sports. Details on new records and multi-crown winners can be found on the Youth Sports Festival website.

This year's event also gained significance with the revival of the opening ceremony for the first time in 16 years since it was suspended in 2010. The opening ceremony held on the 22nd at BEXCO in Busan was themed "Voyage of Dreams, Busan! Into the Waves of Challenge!" Approximately 500 participants, including athletes and officials from provinces and cities, attended to share in the festive atmosphere. Various programs, including celebratory performances and recreational activities, were organized for student athletes to enjoy, establishing the event as a venue for national youth to share friendship and harmony.

In addition, considering the nature of the event with student athletes participating, athlete safety was prioritized as the top task, and a rapid reporting system was established. Safety management checklists were applied at each stage before and during competitions, and pre-event and on-site safety inspections were conducted at each venue to ensure systematic management. As a result, despite the large number of participants, the tournament concluded successfully without any major safety incidents, establishing a "safe tournament operation system centered on athletes."

Promotion for a safe sports environment was pursued through both online and offline channels. A "Sports for All to Enjoy" promotional hall was operated in collaboration with the Korea Medical Institute (KMI), where sports safety promotion activities were conducted. The tournament website also provided a "Safe Sports Safety Manual" to help build a foundation for everyone to enjoy the event safely.

Additionally, through the tournament operation system and website, information services on medal standings were resumed for the first time in eight years since 2018, enhancing user engagement and strengthening the sense of solidarity among tournament participants. The cumulative number of visitors to the tournament website increased by 9% compared to the previous year.

"This Youth Sports Festival was a meaningful event where student athletes were able to fully showcase their skills in a safe environment," said Yoo Seung-min (Chairman), adding, "Moving forward, we will continue to develop the Youth Sports Festival so that more children and adolescents can grow through sports, and we will wholeheartedly support the journeys of student athletes who challenge their dreams."

Detailed tournament results, including the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for each category and final standings by province and city, can be confirmed on the National Youth Sports Festival website and the Korea Sports Council's announcements.

Meanwhile, the 56th National Youth Sports Festival, scheduled to be held in 2027, is expected to take place in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.

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*This content was translated by AI.