Kim Woo-min wins bronze in men's 400-meter freestyle at worlds

Bronze medalist Kim Woo-min from Korea, right, poses with gold medalist Lukas Martens from Germany, center, and silver medalist Samuel Short from Australia on the podium during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Sunday. AFP-Yonhap

Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min captured bronze in the men's 400-meter freestyle at the world championships in Singapore on Sunday for his second straight podium finish in the event.

Kim clocked 3:42.60 in the 400-meter freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships Arena in Singapore, finishing 0.25 seconds behind the gold medalist, Lukas Martens of Germany at 3:42.35.

Kim had won his first career world title at last year's competition in Doha.

Samuel Short of Australia, the 2023 world champion, finished with the silver medal this time at 3:42.37.

Short, Martens and Kim had ranked 1-2-3 in the heats held earlier Sunday.

Swimming in Lane 3, Kim had the fastest reaction time at 0.61 second, while Martens, the world record holder, was tied for the slowest off the blocks at 0.70 second.

But the German swimmer hit the 100-meter mark first at 51.95 seconds, with Kim trailing him in third place at 52.77. Short was sandwiched between the two at 52.46.

And it stayed Martens-Short-Kim at the halfway point. Short was briefly in the lead at the 300-meter mark, but Martens nipped him by 0.02 seconds at the finish.

Of the three medalists, Kim had the fastest split over the final 50m at 27.62 seconds, but it wasn't enough to help him get to the top of the podium for the second straight year.

Kim, 23, has joined Park Tae-hwan as the only Korean swimmers to win multiple world championships medals in the men's 400-meter freestyle. Park won gold medals in 2007 and 2011.

Park still owns the national record with 3:41.53. Kim's personal best is 3:42.42.