HANGZHOU, China -- South Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min won the men's 400-meter freestyle gold medal at the Asian Games in China on Friday, becoming only the third swimmer from the country to win three titles at a single Asiad.

Kim finished the race in first place with a time of 3:44.36. Pan Zhanle of China was a distant second in 3:48.81

Kim had earlier won gold medals in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay and the men's 800m freestyle.

He joins Choi Yun-hui and Park Tae-hwan as the only triple gold medalists in Asian Games swimming for South Korea.

Choi won three gold medals in 1982, and Park pulled off his trifecta in 2006 and again in 2010.

In the 400m final, Kim led the race wire to wire. By the 200m mark, Kim led Pan by 1.56 seconds. The lead ballooned to 3.65 seconds with 100m remaining, and Kim, swimming in Lane 4, cut a solitary figure smack in the middle of the pool, as he cruised to a dominant finish.

Kim is the first triple gold medalist for South Korea at this year's Asiad.

"I am so honored to be a triple gold medalist in my first Asian Games," Kim said. "Hopefully, my gold medal will be a little bit of a Chuseok gift for people back home." (Yonhap)