Athletes to compete for medals at world and Asian championships
Gwangju held a send-off ceremony Tuesday at the mayor's office to meet with national bodybuilding athletes affiliated with the Gwangju Bodybuilding Association and wish them well ahead of upcoming world and Asian championship competitions.
Gwangju Mayor Park Kwan-yeol, Gwangju Sports Council Chairman Park Beom-sik, Sports Council Secretary-General Kim Dong-beom, Gyeonggi Province Bodybuilding Association Chairman Jeong Byeong-seon, Gwangju Bodybuilding Association Chairman Bae Jong-gil, and national team athletes Bae Cheol-hyeong and Lee Jin-woo attended the event.
Bae Cheol-hyeong will compete in back-to-back international events: the 2026 IFBB World Championships in Santa Susanna, Spain, from Oct. 28 through Nov. 3, followed by the 2026 IFBB Asian Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, from Nov. 12 to 17. Bae won first place and the overall title in the men's physique over-176cm category at the 2025 Mr. & Ms. Korea competition.
Lee Jin-woo will compete at the Asian Championships in Pattaya in November, where he will vie for a medal. Lee finished third in the men's physique under-179cm category at the 2025 IFBB Asian Championships.
"I am deeply grateful for the dedication of these athletes who will represent South Korea and Gwangju on the world stage," Mayor Park said. "I hope the sweat and effort they have poured in will bear fruit, and the 420,000 citizens of Gwangju will be cheering for them with one heart."
The Gwangju Bodybuilding Association currently has six clubs with 158 members.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
