How did Lee Ju-ho perform in the men’s 200-meter backstroke at the Asian Games in Tokyo?

Lee Ju-ho won silver in 1:56.58 at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. He finished 0.16 second behind Japan’s Kodai Nishiono and ahead of China’s Xu Jiayu, who took bronze.

Why was Lee Ju-ho disappointed after winning silver in the 200m backstroke?

Lee said he had been working hard for gold and felt his best time should have been enough. He added that he was not happy with his time and called the silver a disappointing outcome.

What are Lee Ju-ho’s next goals after the Asian Games silver medal?

Lee said he wants to reach the final at next year’s world championships and then qualify for the 2028 Olympics. He also said he hopes to get back into the 1:55 range over the next couple of years.

Lee Ju-ho grabs silver in men's 200m backstroke swimming

Listen

Summary

Lee Ju-ho won silver in the men’s 200-meter backstroke swimming at the Asian Games in Tokyo on Friday, earning his second straight medal in the event. He finished in 1:56.58 at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, 0.16 second behind Japan’s Kodai Nishiono. The medal was Lee’s third in Tokyo, and he said he was disappointed not to win gold.

Key Facts

Lee Ju-ho touched the pad in 1:56.58 in the final at Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
Kodai Nishiono of Japan won the race in 1:56.42, and Xu Jiayu of China took bronze in 1:56.73.
The silver was Lee’s third medal in Tokyo, after bronze in the men’s 100m backstroke and bronze in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
Lee said he now has nine Asian Games medals but still no gold.
Lee said he will try to reach next year’s world championships final and then qualify for the 2028 Olympics.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 25, 2026 6:19 pm KST
Updated Sep 25, 2026 8:10 pm KST

South Korea's Lee Ju-ho competes in the final of the men's 200-meter backstroke swimming event at the Asian Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Sept. 25. Yonhap

TOKYO — Lee Ju-ho seized silver in the men's 200-meter backstroke swimming at the Asian Games on Friday for his second straight medal in the event.

Lee touched the pad in 1:56.58 at Tokyo Aquatics Centre in the Japanese capital on the final day of the swimming competition. The South Korean finished 0.16 second back of the winner, Kodai Nishiono of Japan.

Xu Jiayu of China took the bronze in 1:56.73.

Lee reached the 50m mark in second place and stayed there the rest of the way. It was Xu leading the way early, but Lee passed him over the final stretch -- though his late push was not enough against Nishiono.

This was Lee's third medal in Tokyo, following bronze medals in the men's 100m backstroke and the men's 4x100m medley relay.

Lee fell short of his personal best and national record time of 1:55.34. He now has nine Asian Games medals but still no gold.

"I did my best in the final, but I was not happy with my time," Lee said. "I did not come here to win silver. I have been working so hard to grab gold in the 200m, and I felt my best time would be good enough here. I think this silver medal is a disappointing outcome for me."

Now 31, Lee said he will try to reach the finals at next year's world championships and then qualify for the 2028 Olympics.

"I think 1:56 will not be nearly enough for a spot in the final at the worlds, and I will try to get back into the 1:55 range," Lee said. "I am feeling confident I can keep improving my time over the next couple of years until the Olympics. And when I get to that point, I will think about the next Asian Games (in 2030).

"I really wanted to win gold here," Lee continued. "I obviously know doing so is really difficult, but I desperately wanted the 200m gold."

Explore More