Tokyo: Swimming silver medalist Kim Young-beom expressed disappointment and self-reflection after narrowly missing out on a gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle final at the Asian Games on Sunday. The 20-year-old South Korean was leading the race with 25 meters remaining but ultimately finished in second place with a time of 47.65 seconds, just 0.04 seconds behind China's Pan Zhanle, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion. Fellow South Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo took the bronze with a time of 47.79 seconds.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim admitted that his inexperience showed during the final stretch of the race, which cost him the gold medal. "For the first 75m, it was a perfect race. It was going way better than I ever thought possible," Kim said. "But over the final 25m, I was exposed as amateurish. I think I got too arrogant in the late stages." Despite his frustration, Kim expressed satisfaction at winning his first individual Asiad medal, having previously secured two relay medals three years ago.

Kim shared his mixed emotions, acknowledging the presence of world-class competitors in the 100m final and expressing pride in his second-place finish. During a conversation with media in the mixed zone, Pan Zhanle congratulated Kim with a thumbs-up, to which Kim responded with humor about his limited English skills but noted his attempts to communicate non-verbally with the Chinese champion.

Reflecting on his performance, Kim expressed optimism about future competitions, particularly in relay events. "My competition is not over. And the fact that I and Sun-woo finished second and third here shows we will be in really good shape in relays. I think we can do well in relays later on," Kim stated confidently.

After the medal ceremony, where he received his medal from French swimming legend Leon Marchand, Kim offered a more positive perspective on his achievement. "It felt a bit weird seeing my name on the giant screen here," he remarked. "Right now, I am feeling more relieved and satisfied than disappointed." Kim acknowledged that his initial self-criticism might have been harsh but remains hopeful that it will contribute to his growth as an athlete.

Marchand, a four-time Olympic gold medalist with seven world titles, was in Japan to conduct a clinic for young swimmers and promote the Asian Games. Kim expressed admiration for Marchand, saying, "I had never seen him up close before. I got to shake his hand and hopefully, that gave me some of his good energy."