Korea’s Park Tae-hwan will train under acclaimed Australian coach Michael Bohl in a bid to rediscover his form ahead of this year’s Asian Games in China, domestic media reported on Monday.

The 2007 world champion had a disappointing run at the world championships in Rome last year where he failed to reach the 400 metres freestyle final after he gave South Korea their first Olympic swimming medal in Beijing two years ago.

The Korea Swimming Federation (KSF) began looking for an overseas coach for Park in September and zeroed in on Bohl, who coached Australia’s triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice.

“Bohl will map out a separate plan for Park and train him,” KSF’s executive director Jeong Il-chung told Yonhap News.

“Bohl said that he was watching Park during the Beijing Olympics and the Rome world championship and he will help Park succeed again at the Asian Games.”

Dubbed the ‘Marine Boy’, 20-year-old Park became an instant celebrity in his homeland after he won the 400 freestyle gold and the 200 freestyle silver behind Michael Phelps in Beijing.

Park won three golds, one silver and three bronzes at the 2006 Asian Games.