'No gold even in the fourth AG': Smile Jumper Woo Sang-hyuk wins bronze despite Mutaz Essa Barshim's withdrawal [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Smile Jumper' Woo Sang-hyuk (30, Yongin City Hall) failed to claim gold even at his fourth Asian Games. This time, he settled for bronze.

On the 27th, at the men's high jump final of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, Woo finished third among 13 competitors with a jump of 2m22, earning the bronze medal.

For Woo, who aimed for his first-ever Asian Games gold, the result was deeply disappointing. Even defending champion Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar), considered a top rival, withdrew before the final, yet Woo still could not reach the highest step of the podium.

Woo has had an unusual streak of never winning gold at the Asian Games. He first competed as a high school student at the 2014 Incheon Games, finishing 10th. After rising to world-class status, he won silver medals consecutively at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou Games. Notably, at Hangzhou, although he cleared 2m33, he lost the gold to Barshim, who successfully jumped 2m35.

This competition marked his fourth attempt. Last year at the Tokyo World Championships, he won silver, becoming the first Korean track and field athlete to earn more than one World Championship medal. He also finished joint third at this year's World Indoor Championships in March, demonstrating continued world-class competitiveness.

However, his performance this season was not smooth. In May, during the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Japan, Woo's left spike tore, causing a scrape on his foot. He spent about three months recovering without competing in actual matches.

After returning from injury, he struggled to regain his form. At an international meet in Heilbronn, Germany last month, he managed only 2m14, finishing last among 12 participants. This was a significant gap from his personal best of 2m36 and his season-best of 2m30. With two consecutive low finishes after his return, concerns grew about his condition ahead of the Asian Games.

His goal, however, was clear. Although he had reached the top at global stages like the World Indoor Championships and Diamond League Finals, his determination to finally win the Asian Games gold medal, which he still lacked, was particularly strong this time.

Despite his strong resolve, no gold-medal leap came in his fourth attempt. On the day, Woo cleared 2m10 but failed once at 2m14. He then successfully cleared 2m14 again and also cleared both 2m18 and 2m22 in the first round, raising expectations.

Unlike his competitors, however, he failed twice at 2m25, putting him at a disadvantage. He attempted to raise the bar to 2m28 as a final challenge but ultimately failed, settling for bronze.

The gold medal went to Hou Chao-shian (Taiwan), who cleared 2m25 on his first attempt. The silver medalist was Ail Kushare (India), placing Woo in third. Although he only won bronze, Woo's face was filled with a smile, just as his nickname suggests.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.