South Korea wins bronze in men's 800m freestyle relay at Asian Games, missing back-to-back gold

South Korea's men's 800m freestyle relay team claimed a bronze medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, finishing on the podium for the second consecutive Games but falling short of defending its gold from Hangzhou.

South Korea finished third in the final at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Japan on Monday with a time of 7 minutes, 6.76 seconds.

At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, South Korea had won gold in the event — the first time a Korean swimming team had topped the podium in a team event in Asian Games history. The bronze this time denied the team back-to-back titles, though it marked a second straight podium finish.

In the Hangzhou final, Yang Jae-hun (Gangwon Province), Lee Ho-jun (Jeju), Kim Woo-min and Hwang Sun-woo (both Gangwon Province) combined for a time of 7:01.73, setting both an Asian record and a Games record en route to gold.

In Monday's heats, Kim Min-seop (North Gyeongsang Province athletic association), Yang Jae-hun, Kim Jun-woo (Gangwon Province athletic association) and Lee Ho-jun swam in that order, combining for 7:14.35 to qualify third overall for the final. The arrangement allowed Hwang and Kim Woo-min to rest fully ahead of the relay final.

For the final, the team gave Kim Jun-woo — who had posted the best individual split in the heats — the leadoff leg. Kim Woo-min swam second, Lee Ho-jun third, and Hwang Sun-woo anchored.

Japan surged to the front from the outset, with China consistently trailing by about one second. South Korea held third place at a somewhat larger gap throughout.

China's anchor Zhang Zhanser reeled in Japan on the final leg, touching the wall in 7:00.17 to set a new Asian record and claim gold. Japan finished in 7:01.05 to take silver.