Seo Beom-su Sets Unofficial Korean Record in Men's 5,000m Race Walk at U-20 World Athletics Championships

Rising race walking star Seo Beom-su (19, Samsung Electronics) has set an unofficial Korean record in the men's 5,000m race walk at the World Athletics (WA) U-20 World Championships.

Competing in the men's 5,000m final held in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on the 9th (local time), Seo finished 8th with a time of 19:37.37, breaking the previous Korean record of 20:05.01 set by Seo Dae-il in April 2000 at the National Business Athletics Championships.

Because the men's 5,000m race walk is not an official Olympic event, the mark is not recognized as an official national record.

Nevertheless, Seo wrote a meaningful chapter, signaling a bright future for South Korean race walking.

His finish marks the first time in 22 years that a South Korean athlete has placed in the top 10 at the U-20 World Championships, following Kim Hyun-seob (now a coach at Samsung Electronics), who won a bronze medal in 2004.

Through the Samsung Electronics Track and Field Team, Seo said, "I will begin competing on the senior stage in the second half of this year," adding, "I will keep working tirelessly to establish myself as the next-generation race walking standout."

The title went to Australia's Isaac Beacroft, who clocked 18:40.37.

(Photo: Courtesy of Samsung Electronics Track and Field Team, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.