High jumper Woo Sang-hyeok poses after winning a domestic championship held in Gangwon on May 11.YONHAP
Korean high jumper Woo Sang-hyeok’s hopes of reaching his usual lofty heights have come under a cloud ahead of the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
When Woo won silver with a 2.34-meter jump at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last September, he appeared to be on an upward trajectory. It raised hopes that an Olympic gold medal could be within reach.
Just a year later, however, Woo failed his opening attempt at 2.16 meters at a Diamond League meet on Aug. 22 and managed only 2.14 meters eight days later at a competition in Heilbronn, Germany.
Those were his first competitions in three months after he suffered plantar fascia damage when his spike, the footwear worn by pole-vaulters, tore during the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo in May. Even accounting for the injury's lingering effects, it is clear Woo is not in peak condition.
Woo returned to Seoul from Europe on Tuesday. Instead of entering the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong, he will rest before heading directly to the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo for two weeks of final preparation.
Rather than focusing on improving his performance through jump training, Woo plans to concentrate on regaining his confidence. National high jump coach Kim Do-kyun believes Woo's biggest problem now is closer to post-injury stress.
"There seem to be two main factors behind his struggles," Kim said. "We thought the fascia injury he suffered in May had completely healed, but it appears there are still some minor lingering effects. The other is psychological. The post-injury stress has been significant.”
The coach suggested that Woo may be dealing with lingering trauma.
“He was injured when his spike tore, and when an athlete gets hurt because of equipment, the psychological impact tends to linger more strongly,” Kim said. “There seems to be some trauma.”
Woo Sang-hyeok competes in the men's high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sept. 16, 2025.AP/YONHAP
Kim has coached Woo since 2019, when the high jumper was going through the biggest slump of his career.
Woo hopes to make the setback a turning point. After all, he has spent his recent years competing on a stage far bigger than Asia. Last year, he began the season with seven consecutive international victories, going head-to-head with top high jumpers such as Hamish Kerr of New Zealand, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and JuVaughn Harrison of the United States.
"We're trying to look at this positively," Kim said. "It could give Woo some new motivation. His results had improved steadily over the past four or five years, so there wasn't much reason for a sense of urgency.”
Woo could take valuable lessons from the Asian Games, the coach said.
"We thought this Asian Games would probably be decided around 2.26 or 2.27 meters, but Woo's injury and the rise of other competitors have made it much more competitive,” the coach said. “I think this will be a learning experience for him.”
Woo's main rivals include veteran Mutaz Barshim, a 35-year-old jumper from Qatar, who had been expected to skip the Asian Games as recently as early this year. Another is Japan's 30-year-old Tomohiro Shinno, who won the Heilbronn competition with a 2.25-meter jump.
Woo Sang-hyeok reacts after an attempt in the men's high jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sept. 16, 2025.AP/YONHAP
Woo had to settle for silver at the previous Asian Games after failing to beat Barshim. Woo and Shinno have season bests of 2.30 meters this year, while Barshim's stands at 2.27 meters.
“If Woo can get anywhere close to his usual form, he is a cut above his competitors,” Kim said. “But he has to compete while still dealing with an injury, so there will inevitably be added pressure.”
Woo also competed through a significant injury at last year's World Championships in Tokyo. He was diagnosed with a calf fascia injury a month before the competition and competed with his calf taped when competing against Kerr of New Zealand.
The problem now is time. Woo has just three weeks to overcome the psychological effects of his injury and regain his form. His ability to recover over that period could determine whether he wins the Asian Games high jump gold medal.
Woo is scheduled to enter the Asian Games athletes' village on Sept. 21, then compete in the qualifying round on Sept. 24 and the final on Sept. 27.
BY KIM YOUNG-JU [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
