[ad_1]
Kim Wan-gi, head coach of the Samcheok Metropolis Corridor observe and area workforce, has denied accusations that he made inappropriate bodily contact with a feminine runner on the Incheon Worldwide Marathon, saying the controversy stems from “a misunderstanding triggered when her photo voltaic plexus hit my arm.”
Kim addressed the problem in an interview with News1 on Monday. “Marathons are very demanding. Many feminine athletes collapse or faint as quickly as they cross the end line,” he stated. “If we don’t assist them instantly, they will fall and get damage.”
Kim stated comparable conditions happen regularly. “Even on the Chuncheon Marathon, one among our runners practically fainted. I caught her, however she was so weak that she ended up with bruises on her knees,” he stated.
He added that the athlete concerned within the newest controversy apologized afterward. “She instructed me, ‘I got here in at full velocity and my photo voltaic plexus hit your arm. It damage a lot I instinctively pushed away,’” Kim stated. “She apologized, saying the second was proven on TV. I instructed her she had labored laborious.”
Kim acknowledged that the footage might have seemed troubling to viewers. “From a viewer’s perspective, seeing a coach maintain an athlete after which the athlete push away might appear inappropriate,” he stated. “However in observe and area, this occurs on a regular basis. Each coach helps their athletes as they cross the road.”
The scene in query occurred on Nov. 23, when Samcheok Metropolis Corridor’s Lee Su-min completed first within the home ladies’s division on the 2025 Incheon Worldwide Marathon in Songdo. Broadcast footage confirmed Kim approaching Lee instantly after she crossed the end line and wrapping a towel round her higher physique, a standard apply to stop hypothermia.
Nonetheless, Lee appeared to grimace and push Kim’s arm away, prompting on-line hypothesis that she had been uncomfortable with extreme bodily contact. The clip unfold rapidly throughout social media and on-line communities.
Different footage confirmed Kim handing towels to international runners, together with Ethiopia’s Yeshi Kalayu Chekole, and stepping apart with out additional interplay, fueling debate amongst viewers.
Some commenters criticized the coach, saying Lee “clearly seemed uncomfortable” and arguing that his actions “went too far.” Others stated the scenario had been overinterpreted, noting that athletes typically lose steadiness on the end line and require assist.
Different commenters say the incident shouldn’t be judged prematurely, noting that “it’s unattainable to find out whether or not it was harassment with out further footage and statements from these concerned.”
Kim Wan-gi, left, coach of the Samcheok Metropolis Corridor workforce, wraps runner Lee Su-min with a towel on the 2025 Incheon Marathon at Incheon Munhak Stadium, Sunday. Captured from KBS Sports activities YouTube
Kim, a former elite marathoner, rose to prominence after profitable the Rookie of the Yr award on the 1988 Gyeongbu Relay and later claimed the 1990 Dong-A Marathon title. He competed for the nationwide workforce alongside Hwang Younger-jo and Lee Bong-ju and completed twenty eighth on the 1992 Barcelona Summer time Olympics.
Lee completed the race in 2 hours, 35 minutes, 41 seconds to high the home ladies’s area. Afterward, she stated she was happy together with her efficiency. “I joined this race as a part of my winter coaching, and I’m glad the end result was good,” she stated. “I’ll use this as motivation to organize for the Asian Video games.”
This text is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Instances.
[ad_2]
