‘Smile Jumper’ Woo Sang-hyuk reached the top in the Diamond League Finals and created a new history in Korean athletics.
Sanghyuk Woo won the men’s high jump event at the ‘2023 World Association of Athletics Federations Diamond League Final’ held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA on the morning of the 17th (Korean time), exceeding his personal outdoor best record of 2m35.
He smiled brightly as he beat Norbert Kowielski (Poland) and Juvon Harrison (USA), who were over 2m33m, and won the diamond-shaped trophy and the prize money of $30,000 (about 40 million won).
The Diamond League holds a total of 14 competitions a year. Rankings are based on ranking points accumulated in 13 competitions, and the top 6 among them receive the right to advance to the finals of the 14th competition, which is akin to a ‘battle of kings.’바카라사이트
Woo Sang-hyuk is the first Korean player to reach the Diamond Final.
Last year, Woo Sang-hyuk was ranked 7th in ranking points (16 points) and did not obtain a ticket to the finals, but this year he participated in 4 of the 6 Diamond League high jump competitions and advanced to the finals.
He finished second in Doha (2m27) and Rome/Florence (2m30), earning seven points each, and came third in Zurich (2m31), earning six points. Although he was unable to leave a record in Stockholm due to bad weather, he earned 20 cumulative ranking points and placed 4th in the finals.
Sanghyuk Woo easily surpassed 2m15, 2m20, 2m25, and 2m29 in the first period. He and Harrison were the only ones to surpass 2m29 in one go.
Afterwards, Woo Sang-hyuk succeeded in reaching 2m33 in one go and became the sole first place. Kobielski (successful in the first period) and Harrison (successful in the third period) followed closely, but did not waver.
He cheered with his signature smile after surpassing 2.35m, his personal best record at last year’s World Championships, with a narrow jump that slightly touched the bar in the third period.
As Kwielski and Harrison, who then challenged, failed to exceed 2m35m, Woo Sang-hyuk became the first Korean athlete to win a gold medal in the Diamond League.
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