S. Korea Coach Slaps Track Star, Puts Her in Hospital

South Korea’s track heroine in last year’s Asian Games is in a hospital with a ruptured eardrum after her coach slapped her for recording poor training times, sports officials said today.

Kim Pon Il, who trained elfin teen-age runner Lim Chun Ae in winning three gold medals at the Seoul Asian Games, slapped her face last Saturday “to make her train harder after she showed signs of slackness,” the officials said.

Lim, who won the 800-, 1,500- and 3,000-meter events at the games, has been preparing to compete in the 10,000 meters at next year’s Seoul Olympics, they said.

Dr. Lee Won Tae told reporters the 18-year-old high school student was not seriously injured but would need treatment for about two weeks.