Kim Woo-min to compete in relay heats despite shoulder injury

South Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min has decided to compete in the men's 400m medley relay heats at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games despite suffering a significant shoulder injury. Kim has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the rotator cuff and labrum in his left shoulder, along with impingement syndrome.

While the injury forced him to withdraw from the 200m and 800m freestyle events, Kim expressed a strong desire to participate in the relay heats to reduce the physical burden on his teammates. The Korea Swimming Federation noted that Kim is motivated by a sense of responsibility and camaraderie, aiming to support the team's medal prospects in the finals.

Kim will swim the first leg of the 400m relay heats alongside Ji Yu-chan, Lee Ho-jun, and Kim Min-seop. If the team advances, a top-tier squad including Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Young-beom is expected to compete in the finals.