Namadi Joel Jin and Biwesa Daniel Gasama, regarded as the face of South Korean athletics, have both advanced to the semifinals of the men's 100m event. Their impressive acceleration in the latter part of the race has raised hopes of breaking a long-standing national record.
On September 24, at the Mizuhokoen Athletics Stadium in Nagoya, both athletes qualified for the semifinals, finishing first in Heat 2 and second in Heat 3, respectively. They recorded identical times of 10.23 seconds.
Joel Jin, who has a Nigerian father and a Korean mother, and Biwesa, whose parents hail from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, share the commonality of being born and raised in South Korea. Both athletes have also recorded times of 10.13 seconds this year, tying for the second-fastest in South Korean history. The national record of 10.07 seconds was set by coach Kim Guk-young in June 2017.
With their exceptional physical attributes, they are bringing a fresh wave to South Korean athletics. They aim to reach the finals in this competition. Notably, Thailand's Puripol Bunson clocked 9.95 seconds in Heat 1, while Oman’s Ali Albalushi marked 10.06 seconds in Heat 2, both faster than the current South Korean record. Attention is now on whether Joel Jin and Biwesa can make history for South Korean athletics against strong competitors. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for September 25.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.