Woo Sang-hyeok on May 29 at Gumi Civic Stadium clears 2.23 m in the final of the men's high jump at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Seon Ah 

"Smile Jumper" Woo Sang-hyeok has won the men's high jump title of the Asian Athletics Championships for the second straight year.

The nation's top male athlete in his sport this year has earned gold medals in all five international championships that he has competed in.

In the final of the men's high jump on May 29 at Gumi Civic Stadium in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Woo cleared the bar in his first attempt at 2.29 m, beating runnerup Tomohiro Shinno of Japan. The Korean thus won his second consecutive gold in the event following that in the 2023 Bangkok edition and his third overall in the tournament.

Despite rain, Woo cleared 2.15 m, 2.19 m, 2.23 m, 2.26 m and 2.29 m all on his first attempts. After securing the gold, he failed at 2.33 m but showed his signature big smile to the cheering crowd.

Woo's win was his fifth this year after victories at a World Athletics Indoor Tour event in Hustopece, the Czech Republic, (2.31 m) and another in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, (2.28 m); World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China (2.31 m); and What Gravity Challenge (2.29 m) in Doha, Qatar.

In September, he will vie for Korea's first gold in an outdoor world track and field tournament at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

sofiakim218@korea.kr