Coach denies harassment of marathon runner, says contact was to ‘support athlete’ at finish line
Kim Wan-gi, left, coach of the Samcheok City Hall team, wraps runner Lee Su-min with a towel moments after she crosses the finish line at the 2025 Incheon Marathon at Incheon Munhak Stadium, Sunday, drawing controversy over unnecessary physical contact. Captured from KBS Sports YouTube
Kim Wan-gi, head coach of the Samcheok City Hall track and field team, has denied accusations that he made inappropriate physical contact with a female runner at the Incheon International Marathon, saying the controversy stems from “a misunderstanding caused when her solar plexus hit my arm.”
Kim addressed the issue in an interview with News1 on Monday. “Marathons are very demanding. Many female athletes collapse or faint as soon as they cross the finish line,” he said. “If we do not support them right away, they can fall and get hurt.”
Kim said similar situations occur frequently. “Even at the Chuncheon Marathon, one of our runners nearly fainted. I caught her, but she was so weak that she ended up with bruises on her knees,” he said.
He added that the athlete involved in the latest controversy apologized afterward. “She told me, ‘I came in at full speed and my solar plexus hit your arm. It hurt so much I instinctively pushed away,’” Kim said. “She apologized, saying the moment was shown on TV. I told her she had worked hard.”
Kim acknowledged that the footage may have looked troubling to viewers. “From a viewer’s perspective, seeing a coach hold an athlete and then the athlete push away could seem inappropriate,” he said. “But in track and field, this happens all the time. Every coach supports their athletes as they cross the line.”
The scene in question occurred on Nov. 23, when Samcheok City Hall’s Lee Su-min finished first in the domestic women’s division at the 2025 Incheon International Marathon in Songdo. Broadcast footage showed Kim approaching Lee immediately after she crossed the finish line and wrapping a towel around her upper body, a common practice to prevent hypothermia.
However, Lee appeared to grimace and push Kim’s arm away, prompting online speculation that she had been uncomfortable with excessive physical contact. The clip spread quickly across social media and online communities.
Other footage showed Kim handing towels to foreign runners, including Ethiopia’s Yeshi Kalayu Chekole, and stepping aside without further interaction, fueling debate among viewers.
Some commenters criticized the coach, saying Lee “clearly looked uncomfortable” and arguing that his actions “went too far.” Others said the situation had been overinterpreted, noting that athletes often lose balance at the finish line and require support.
Other commenters say the incident should not be judged prematurely, noting that “it is impossible to determine whether it was harassment without additional footage and statements from those involved.”
Kim Wan-gi, left, coach of the Samcheok City Hall team, wraps runner Lee Su-min with a towel at the 2025 Incheon Marathon at Incheon Munhak Stadium, Sunday. Captured from KBS Sports YouTube
Kim, a former elite marathoner, rose to prominence after winning the Rookie of the Year award at the 1988 Gyeongbu Relay and later claimed the 1990 Dong-A Marathon title. He competed for the national team alongside Hwang Young-jo and Lee Bong-ju and finished 28th at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.
Lee finished the race in 2 hours, 35 minutes, 41 seconds to top the domestic women’s field. Afterward, she said she was satisfied with her performance. “I joined this race as part of my winter training, and I am glad the result was good,” she said. “I will use this as motivation to prepare for the Asian Games.”
This article is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.