(Asiad) Back in water, veteran swimmer wants more out of self

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TOKYO, Sept. 26 (Yonhap) -- It was only a few years ago that she did not even want to go near water, unable to overcome mental blocks.

Now a few weeks shy of her 31st birthday, South Korean swimmer An Se-hyeon marked her return to the Asian Games in Tokyo this month with two bronze medals, adding to the two bronze medals she had won in 2018 and a silver medal from 2014.

An Se-hyeon (R) and Lee Song-eun of South Korea embrace after finishing their races in the women's 50-meter butterfly swimming final at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2026. (Yonhap)

After helping South Korea finish third in the women's 4x100-meter medley relay at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on Friday, An said she felt she had still more to give.

"I felt this competition would be a turning point for my career, as far as helping me paint a big picture for the future," An said. "I am not entirely satisfied with my times here. I will put this behind me, and I will try to make the team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."

An said she had wanted to get into the 25-second range in the 50m butterfly, but she ended up with 26.66 seconds, good for only seventh place in Friday's final.

"I have gained some courage from this event, but I am also leaving here feeling a little angry," An said. "I did not come close to 25 seconds in the 50m butterfly today. I want to get to that time at the national meet in a couple of weeks and, if not, then at the national team trials next spring."

An Se-hyeon of South Korea competes in the final of the women's 4x100-meter medley relay swimming at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2026. (Yonhap)

This was An's first Asian Games since 2018 in Jakarta. It was also an opportunity for An to renew her friendships with her old rivals, such as Zhang Yufei of China and Rikako Ikee of Japan.

Medalists at the ongoing Asian Games have been receiving mascots of different colors, in addition to their medals. Gold medalists get their dolls in gold, for instance.

An, though she was a bronze medal winner, was cradling a gold mascot. She said Zhang, who won four gold medals in Tokyo, offered to trade hers during Friday's medal ceremony for An's bronze one.

Rikako Ikee of Japan, Zhang Yufei of China and An Se-hyeon of South Korea (from L to R) pose for photos after their swimming competition of the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2026, in this Xinhua photo. (Yonhap)

"She already had so many gold ones, so I guess she did not mind having something different," An said with a smile. "We first started competing against each other around 2016 or 2017. Enough time has passed and we have both mellowed. We are friendlier now."

An also said she and Ikee took pictures together before the morning's 50m butterfly heats and the two were supposed to meet up in An's room later Friday.

An also reacquainted herself with her former personal coach Michael Bohl, who now leads the dominant Chinese team.

"He told me he was happy to see me back swimming," An said. "He is my Australian father. I told him I missed him so much."

An said she looks forward to competing against Zhang, Ikee and others in more events.

"Although I did not exactly get the results I wanted, I will not just give up here," An said. "I want to have an even brighter future, and I will push myself even harder now."

Kim Seung-won, Park Si-eun, An Se-hyeon and Hur Yeon-kyung of South Korea (from L to R) pose on the podium after winning bronze in the women's 4x100-meter medley relay swimming event at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2026. (Yonhap)

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(Asiad) Back in water, veteran swimmer wants more out of self

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东京，9月26日（韩联社）——就在几年前，她甚至都不想靠近水，无法克服心理障碍。

距离她 31 岁生日还有几周，韩国游泳运动员安世贤本月重返东京亚运会，并斩获两枚铜牌，此前她曾在 2018 年获得两枚铜牌，并在 2014 年获得一枚银牌。

2026年9月25日，在东京亚运会游泳中心举行的女子50米蝶泳决赛中，韩国选手安世贤（右）和李松恩赛后拥抱庆祝。（韩联社）

周五，安在东京水上运动中心帮助韩国队获得女子4x100米混合泳接力赛第三名后表示，她觉得自己还有更多潜力可以发挥。

安表示：“我觉得这次比赛会是我职业生涯的转折点，它能帮助我更好地规划未来。我对这次的成绩并不完全满意。我会把这次比赛抛在脑后，努力争取入选2028年洛杉矶奥运会的美国队。”

安表示，她原本希望在50米蝶泳比赛中游进25秒以内，但最终成绩为26.66秒，在周五的决赛中仅获得第七名。

“这次比赛让我鼓起了一些勇气，但离开这里的时候我也有点生气，”安说道。“今天50米蝶泳我离25秒的目标还差得很远。我希望在几周后的全国比赛中能达到这个成绩，如果不行，那就争取明年春天的国家队选拔赛。”

2026年9月25日，韩国选手安世贤在东京东京游泳中心举行的亚运会女子4×100米混合泳接力决赛中角逐。（韩联社）

这是安自2018年雅加达亚运会以来首次参加亚运会。这也是安与昔日对手重续友谊的机会，例如中国的张雨菲和日本的池江梨香子。

在正在进行的亚运会上，除了奖牌之外，奖牌获得者还会收到不同颜色的吉祥物。例如，金牌获得者会得到金色的吉祥物。

安虽然只获得了铜牌，但她怀里抱着的却是金牌吉祥物。她说，在东京奥运会上获得四枚金牌的张冰冰在周五的颁奖仪式上提出用自己的金牌吉祥物和她交换铜牌吉祥物。

2026年9月25日，日本选手池江梨香子、中国选手张雨菲和韩国选手安世贤（从左至右）在东京东京水上运动中心参加完亚运会游泳比赛后合影留念。（新华社照片）

“她已经有很多金牌了，所以我想她并不介意再添点新花样，”安笑着说。“我们大概在2016年或2017年就开始互相竞争了。时间过去了，我们俩都变得温和多了，现在也更友好了。”

安还说，她和伊基在上午的 50 米蝶泳预赛前一起拍了照片，两人原定于周五晚些时候在安的房间里见面。

安还与她以前的私人教练迈克尔·博尔重逢，博尔现在执教实力强劲的中国队。

安说：“他告诉我他很高兴看到我重返泳池。他就像我的澳大利亚父亲一样。我告诉他我非常想念他。”

安表示，她期待在更多比赛中与张、池井等人同台竞技。

“虽然我没有完全取得想要的结果，但我不会就此放弃，”安说道。“我想要一个更加美好的未来，我会更加努力。”

2026年9月25日，在东京亚运会游泳中心举行的女子4×100米混合泳接力赛中获得铜牌后，韩国选手金承元、朴诗恩、安世贤和许妍京（从左至右）在领奖台上合影。（韩联社）

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