Kang Da-seul, Rising Star of Sprinting

There is a rising star in women’s sprinting in Korea.

Fifteen-year-old Kang Da-seul (Deokgye junior high, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi) is the youngest athlete currently competing at the national level. She participated in the 36th National Athletic Games held in Goyang Stadium, Gyeonggi, on April 30, and won the female junior high 100m sprint in a record time of 12.31 seconds – the fastest time of the season.

The Korean record (11.49 second) was made by Lee Yeong-suk (Coach of Ansan City team). And the World record (10.49 second) was made by Florence Griffith Joyner at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Li Xuemei holds the Asian record of 10.79 seconds. Kang Da-seul’s personal best is 12.17 second.

Coach Lee Yeong-suk, the Korean record holder, said, “It is amazing that she has set a record in the low 12 second range at the age of 15. We have to foster her ability to the fullest to allow her to compete in the world arena.”

Kang Da-seul is 47kg and 168cm. She is taller than other girls of her age, but is very underweight. Experts say that if she gains weight and undertakes power training, breaking the Korean record will be only a matter of time.

Kang Da-seul said that she will break the group record (11.99 second held by Choi Yun-jeong in 1986) this year, and will try hard to set a new Korean record.

yjongk@donga.com