Woo Sang-hyeok eyes redemption after Olympic disappointment

Woo Sang-hyeok returned to Korea on July 13 after nearly two months in Europe for overseas training and international meets. Since July 21, he has been undergoing intensive conditioning at the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province. He spoke in an interview on July 22 after finishing a morning weight session.

Asked about his early training routine, Woo said, “You have to start early to stay disciplined. After hitting a slump in 2019, I became a morning person.”

Relentless training and steady competition have become part of Woo’s routine. “After the 2024 Paris Olympics, I told myself there would be no resting,” he said. “As long as I’m competing, I won’t allow myself a break. I can rest after I retire.” That resolve was born from the pain of last summer.

Woo had set his sights on winning Korea’s first Olympic medal in track and field. He had already made history with a gold at the 2022 World Indoor Championships, a silver at the 2022 World Championships, and a victory at the 2023 Diamond League Final. In the lead-up to Paris, he even shaved his head to show his commitment. But on the biggest stage, he managed only 2.27 meters, falling short of his personal best of 2.36.

At Jincheon, a banner featuring Woo from the Paris Olympics hangs between the track and gym. “That’s me with the shaved head. It’s right on the path to the dorms, so I can’t avoid seeing it. Every time I pass it, I think back to my roots and refocus,” he said.

It was coach Kim Do-kyun, 46, who helped lift him from his post-Olympic despair. “Back then, I thought it was all over. I didn’t even want to look at a high jump bar,” Woo said. “But Coach noticed and told me, ‘You’ve got Silesia next week. Focus.’”

Just two weeks after the Olympics, Woo cleared 2.29 meters to place fourth at the Silesia Diamond League. He then jumped 2.30 meters to win the Rome Diamond League. After the meet, Coach Kim told him, “It wasn’t your body that held you back in Paris. It was mental. Don’t worry.” Woo said that conversation reignited his hope.

He credits that stretch with helping him recover. “If I had taken time off after the Olympics, I would have started doubting myself, wondering if I could still clear 2.30 meters,” he said.

Woo will depart for Germany on August 6 and compete in the Silesia Diamond League and the Zurich Diamond League Final before heading to the World Championships in Tokyo this September. The event will be held at the National Stadium, the same venue as the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where Woo cleared 2.35 meters and finished a surprise fourth, announcing himself as a world-class jumper.

Now aiming to win Korea’s first world championship gold in track and field, Woo said, “I’ve tried everything preparing for the Olympics. Now, instead of overdoing it, I’m focusing on doing what I’ve always done. If I do that, the results will follow.”

Nicknamed the “Smile Jumper,” Woo, 29, has competed in seven international meets this season and won them all. On July 12, he recorded his season best by clearing 2.34 meters at the World Athletics Diamond League in Monaco. He remains the only male high jumper in the world this season to clear that height in an outdoor event. After placing seventh in Paris with a 2.27-meter jump and leaving the field in tears, Woo is once again setting his sights on the top of the world.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com