South Korean high jumper Woo Sang-hyeok traveled to Europe on Friday to set himself up for his first world title later this month.
Woo, the reigning world silver medalist, left for Germany, where he is scheduled to compete in a local event and train. He will then hop over to Hungary on Aug. 17, three days before the qualification for the men's high jump at the World Athletics Championships.
The final will begin at 7:55 p.m. on Aug. 22 in Budapest, or 2:55 a.m. Aug. 23 in Seoul.
It will only be the start of a busy stretch for the 27-year-old athlete. After the worlds, Woo will enter a Diamond League event in Zurich at the end of August. If he has enough Diamond League points by then, he will qualify for the Diamond League Final from Sept. 16-17 in Eugene, Oregon.
Woo will then return home briefly before leaving for Hangzhou, China, for the Asian Games. The men's high jump final there is scheduled for Oct. 4.
At his open training session on Wednesday, Woo said he was confident he could claim his first world championship this month. It would make him the first South Korean to win a gold medal at athletics worlds, and also the first athlete from the country with multiple medals at the top competition.
For the 2023 season, Woo is fourth in the world with 1,332 points accumulated from international competitions. JuVaughn Harrison of the United States, undefeated in five competitions so far in 2023, leads the way with 1,383 points, followed by the three-time reigning world champion from Qatar, Mutaz Essa Barshim, with 1,352 points. Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, who shared the Olympic gold with Barshim two years ago, is third at 1,345 points.
Barshim holds the best record for the season at 2.36 meters. Harrison is tied for second at 2.35m, with two other jumpers tied at 2.34m. Woo's season best of 2.33m puts him in a three-way tie for sixth.
At last year's worlds in Eugene, Woo took silver by clearing 2.35m, with Barshim capturing his third straight world title at 2.37m.
Source: Yonhap News Agency