Swimmer Park vows new record at World Championship

INCHEON, April 16 (Yonhap) -- Beijing Olympic swimming gold medalist Park
Tae-hwan renewed his determination to break his own record and take the gold at
this year's World Championship as he headed for the United States on Thursday for
another training session.
"I will beat my personal record, even if it is by 0.1 second," the swimming star
told reporters at Incheon International Airport before departure. He will be
training for six weeks at the University of Southern California with Dave Salo,
who coached U.S. Olympic teams.
The 19-year-old, who earned 400m men's freestyle gold and 200m silver in Beijing
last year, is aiming for his second consecutive gold in the 400m freestyle and a
personal new record in the 1500m competition at this year's World Championship in
Rome in July.
Park failed to advance to the finals in the longer distance event in both the
Beijing Olympics and Melbourne World Championship last year.
His 1500m record of 14:55:03 is far behind the Asian record of 14:45:84 held by
Chinese Jang Lin, silver medalist in the 400m in Beijing.
Park gained iconic status after he gave South Korea its first Olympic gold medal
in swimming but admitted that the expectations for another gold at the World
Championship weigh heavily on his shoulder.
"Frankly speaking, I feel so weighed down about the Rome World Championship
tournament," he said. "I will do my best and give a good performance for the
Korean people."
brk@yna.co.kr
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