NANTERRE, FRANCE - After competing in what may be her last Olympic race, South Korean swimmer Kim Seo-yeong expressed mixed feelings about her performance at the Paris Olympics. Kim, a pioneering female athlete, did not advance past the heats in the women's 200-meter individual medley at Paris La Defense Arena.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim, 30, had aimed to reach the finals in her fourth consecutive Olympics, an unprecedented feat for a South Korean female swimmer. However, she finished 17th with a time of 2:12.42, just missing the cut for the top 16, where South Africa's Rebecca Meder clinched the last semifinal spot in 2:11.96.
Kim has a storied history at the Olympics, though she has never made it to the finals. Her best previous performance was reaching the semifinals at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Despite her disappointment, Kim spoke about the significant advancements in South Korean swimming and the promising future represented by younger swimmers.
Kim's reflections also touched on her love for swimming and the possibility of continuing her career despite considering retirement before the games. "For the first time in quite a while, I felt swimming was fun," Kim disclosed, pondering her future in the sport.