The World Games 2025 in Chengdu marked a turning point in the career of Korean finswimmer Myeongjun Shin. As part of The World Games Heroes of the Games series, Shin reflects on the achievements that transformed his sporting journey and the mindset that has driven him to even greater success.
Shin delivered one of the standout performances in Chengdu, capturing gold in the men's Apnoea 50m before helping Korea claim bronze in the men's 4×100m surface relay. For an athlete who only discovered finswimming at the age of 17, the medals represented the culmination of nearly a decade of dedication.
"I started finswimming when I was 17 years old, and simply having the opportunity to compete at The World Games was already a great honour for me," Shin said.
"Winning a gold medal and a bronze medal felt like a reward for the nine years of hard work, dedication, and training that I had put into the sport."
Rather than seeing Chengdu as the peak of his career, Shin has used the experience as a springboard. Over the past year, he has continued to excel on the international stage, with his biggest achievement coming at the World Championships, where he won another gold medal while setting a new world record.
"The most memorable achievement for me was winning the gold medal and setting a new world record at the World Championships," he said.
"Standing on a stage that represents both someone's dream and someone's celebration, while hearing the applause and cheers of so many people, is a moment I will never forget."
Despite reaching new heights, Shin says his preparation has remained largely unchanged. Instead, it has been his mental approach that has evolved.
"I did not make any major changes to my training. The most important thing was my mindset," he explained.
"I kept telling myself, 'Believe in yourself, enjoy this stage, and enjoy the celebration.' That mindset helped me perform at my best."
While his individual gold medal secured his place among the stars of Chengdu 2025, it is the relay bronze that holds the strongest emotional connection.
"The most memorable moment for me was winning the bronze medal in the men's 4×100m surface relay," Shin said.
"I knew how much effort and dedication every member of the team had put into our training, so being able to celebrate together with smiles on our faces made that moment truly unforgettable."
Shin also believes that the success of Korea's finswimmers is helping the sport gain greater recognition at home. Although finswimming remains a niche discipline, he has noticed growing interest since The World Games.
"I have noticed that more people are showing interest in it over the past year," he said.
"I believe this growing attention is the result of not only my achievements, but also the continuous efforts of all the Korean athletes and the dedication of the Korea Underwater Association to develop and promote finswimming."
Looking ahead, Shin has already set his sights on The World Games 2029 in Karlsruhe. His ambitions remain grounded in consistency rather than chasing medals alone.
"My goal is to stay healthy, avoid injuries, and maintain my current level of performance so that I can deliver another strong performance at The World Games 2029," he said.
With a World Games gold, a relay bronze, and a world record already to his name, Myeongjun Shin has firmly established himself as one of the leading figures in international finswimming.