Seoul: High jumper Woo Sang-hyeok expressed his amazement on Thursday, describing his silver medal achievement at the recent world championships as a ‘miracle,’ given the injury challenges he faced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Woo returned home after securing second place at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he leaped 2.34 meters. This was behind New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, who cleared 2.36 meters. Woo, who had been unbeaten in seven international competitions before the championships, suffered a calf injury in August that sidelined him for five weeks. Despite recovering in time, he sustained an ankle injury during the qualification rounds over the weekend.
Even at less than full strength, Woo managed to challenge Kerr, the reigning Olympic champion, before ultimately finishing in second place. “I went hard during the qualification because I had to perform well there to get to the final. But since I was competing for the first time in a while, I sustained a bruise to my ankle,” Woo explained upon arriving at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul. “There was nothing I could do about it. I just tried to compete as hard as I could and have no regrets at the end. I still trusted the work I’d put in before my calf injury. And like a miracle, I jumped over the bar and brought home this medal.”
Initially aiming for the world title before his calf injury, Woo had to adjust his expectations due to what he termed a “minor” setback. “My coach and I talked about how I should just try to enjoy the competition, and then an opportunity will present itself,” Woo mentioned. “I was determined not to have any doubt in myself, and it worked out well in the end.”
Woo’s performance makes him the first South Korean athlete to win multiple career medals at world championships, although no South Korean has yet claimed a world title. Having won the world indoor title earlier this year, Woo was vying to become the second male high jumper, after Javier Sotomayor in 1993, to achieve both the world indoor and outdoor championships in the same year.
In the final, Woo and Kerr were the last competitors standing. After Woo failed to clear 2.36 meters, Kerr succeeded on his first attempt and went on to claim his first world title. Woo attempted 2.38 meters but was unsuccessful in his subsequent jumps.
Despite the rivalry, the two athletes have forged a strong friendship. Kerr remarked, “It’s hard. We are such good friends that when we are really competing, I feel bad because I want to win, but I also want him to do his best as possible.” Woo noted that competing against Kerr made the final “extra special.”
Reflecting on his performance, Woo stated, “If I hadn’t been injured in August, then I would have been able to put up a better fight.” Nevertheless, the 29-year-old remains optimistic about future competitions. “I’ve only won silver medals at world championships and Asian Games. And I’ve not yet won an Olympic medal,” Woo said. “Fortunately, we have the Asian Games in 2026, the world championships in 2027 and the Olympics in 2028. I will keep going and putting on good performances.”