“AG relay heroes sweep first, second and third” — Joel Jin wins family showdown with “200m victory + new record”... “Rival” Bwesa withdraws

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Namadi Joel Jin (20, Yecheon County Office), the flagship of Korean short-distance track and field, won the men’s open division 200m at the 107th National Sports Festival with a new competition record.

Joel Jin crossed the finish line first in 20.47 seconds in the final held on the 19th at Kang Chang-hak Comprehensive Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju. He broke the previous competition record of 20.51 seconds set by Ko Seung-hwan in 2024. Seo Min-jun (Seocheon County Office) took second place (20.73 seconds), and Lee Jae-seong (Gwangju Metropolitan City Office) took third (21.08 seconds).

The three athletes who finished first, second and third in a row on that day are the key figures who, last month, set a Korean record (38.43 seconds) and won the bronze medal together in the men’s 400m relay at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. At the time, Joel Jin, despite numerous adverse conditions such as the reversal of his disqualification in the preliminary round and a fierce battle in the rain, achieved a second consecutive Asian Games relay medal with his teammates.

However, there were regrets in the individual events at the Asian Games. Joel Jin finished fourth (10.17 seconds) in the 100m final, failing to secure a Korean track and field 100m medal for the first time in 44 years. Determined to make up for it, Joel Jin swept both the 100m (10.35 seconds) and 200m gold medals at this National Sports Festival, claiming the double crown.

On the other hand, Bwesa Daniel Gasama (Ansan City Office), who finished fifth (10.19 seconds) in the Asian Games 100m final and played a key role as the anchor leg of the relay, withdrew from all individual events at the National Sports Festival. This was due to accumulated fatigue from the grueling Asian Games schedule and the aftermath of a leg injury.

Joel Jin, who dominated the short-distance individual events, will compete in the 400m relay on the 20th, challenging for a third consecutive triple crown at the competition. Bwesa is also expected to decide whether to participate in the relay after checking his recovery status.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original