VIDEO: Kim Seoyeong Swims World’s Fastest 200 IM at Korean Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Anja Johnson

Korea’s Kim Seoyeong swam the world’s fastest 200 IM of 2018 with a 2:08.61 last week. Kim moved past Japan’s Yui Ohashi as the world’s fastest 200 IM’er as Ohashi swam a 2:08.92 at Japanese Nationals. Kim and Ohashi are expected to meet at the 2018 Asian Games later this summer in Jakarta, Indonesia beginning August 19.

2018 World Rankings, Women’s 200 IM:

Kim Seoyeong, Korea, 2:08.61
Yui Ohashi, Japan, 2:08.92
Siobhan O’Connor, Great Britain, 2:09.80
Madisyn Cox, United States, 2:09.82
Sydney Pickrem, Canada, 2:09.92

Kim moved to 13th all-time in the women’s 200 IM with her time.

All-time rankings, Women’s 200 IM:

11. Kanako Watanabe, Japan, 2:08.45 (2015)
12. Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe, 2:08.59 (2008)
13. Kim Seoyeong, Korea, 2:08.61 (2018)
14. Melanie Margalis, United States, 2:08.70 (2017)
15. Maya DiRado, United States, 2:08.79 (2016)

Kim also broke her Korean Record that she set last year at the World Championships in Budapest. She swam a 2:09.86 in the 200 IM in the semis in Budapest, before finishing sixth in the final (2:10.40).

Kim, who is 24, is a late bloomer in the sport. She reached the semi-finals in Rio in the 200 IM, placing 12th in a tie with Great Britain’s Hannah Miley (2:12.15). In 2014, she was fifth in the Asian Games in the 200 IM with a 2:14.08 after China’s Ye Shiwen won the gold with a 2:08.94.

Kim will be expected to swim in Jakarta later this summer where she will take on the best IM’ers from Asia.

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