Sprinter Lim Choon-ae, considered one of South...

Sprinter Lim Choon-ae, considered one of South Korea’s brightest hopes for the 1988 Olympic Games after winning three gold medals in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, suffered a broken eardrum when she was beaten by her coach because of a poor training performance, officials of the Korean Amateur Sports Assn. said.

The 17-year-old sprinter was hospitalized after complaining of pain in her right ear. Doctors said she would require two weeks of treatment before returning to training.

Her coach, Kim Pon-il, said the beating was a mistake and that he was trying to inspire his student to run faster.