SWIMMING AT THE 2018 ASIAN GAMES
- August 19th-24th, 2018
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Schedule & Results
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has accused a female Chinese swimmer of assaulting a female South Korean swimmer during Asian Games warm-ups on Thursday, August 23rd. According to Korean news outlet Yonhap, South Korea’s Kim Hye-jin was ‘physically attacked’ by an unnamed female Chinese swimmer at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Sports Arena in Jakarta, site of the ongoing Games.
Per the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC), Kim accidentally hit the Chinese swimmer’s face, but the Chinese athlete then later kicked Kim. The pair wound up being separated by South Korean and Chinese coaches to prevent any further escalation.
As later reported in Yonhap, the Chinese staff apologized to the South Korean athletes and coaches at the scene and later visited the South Korean delegation at the athletes’ village to issue an additional apology.
“Two swimmers had quarrel after they had physical contact,” a KSOC official said. “Kim apologized first, but apparently the Chinese athlete couldn’t understand what she said and assaulted her.
“It’s something that happens frequently between swimmers during training and the Chinese player’s coach has apologized.”
Kim placed 5th in the women’s 100m back here in Jakarta.
The incident brings back the memory of Chinese champion Sun Yang‘s physical altercation with Brazilian swimmer Larissa Oliveira in the Kazan warm-up pool during the 2015 World Championships. The Brazilian coaching staff reported seeing Sun trying to kick and elbow Oliveira after a collision in the warm-up pool during prelims. SunFINA ultimately decided that no furether action was required in the incident, with president Cornel Marculescu blaming it on overcrowded pool conditions.
Other countries just need to adopt the US club meet system so athletes become desensitized to being mauled in crowded warm-ups.
I thought this was going to be another article on someone trying to altercate with with my second fav swimmer shining sun himself!
Cat fight.
“Kim apologized first, but apparently the Chinese athlete couldn’t understand what she said and assaulted her.”
Looks like this is the communication issue.
Not an communication issue. Roid rage is the simple answer.
Shane Tusup approves.
I only came to see if it was Sun
Surely at a meet like this with only a limited number of swimmers per nation, warm up pools are if anything better than Nationals or an age group meet (where everyone who hits a certain time gets to swim)?
I know pros probably have longer warm ups and there’s more riding on it, but people need to calm the hell down!
smh…I’m not sure the last time I warmed up and didn’t get smacked or kicked by someone from a different team…it’s warm ups, and arms and legs are literally flailing everywhere. If everyone who got hit attacked everyone who didn’t apologize,every swim meet would be a Battle Royale.
Kinda is already a battle royale
you’re thinking of water polo
Judo chop!
I shouldn’t laugh at that. But I did.
Why shouldn’t you laugh?