South Korean short track team takes practice, Friday at Pacific Coliseumin Vancouver in the Winter Olympics. Koreans eye three golds in the men’s 500-meter, 5,000-meter relay and women’s 1,000 meters. Korea men’s team has the chance to sweep all four gold for the first time in the Olympics. For that Sung Si-bak, right, is a key player for 500 meters. The women’s team, who lost gold after controversial ruling in the 3,000-meter relay, challenges to defend the Chinese women’s domination in Vancouver Olympics, winning three golds. |
By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
The Korean short track team is hoping to put the bitter disappointment of the women's 3-000-meter relay behind them on Saturday. The last day of short track competition will see Korea competing for three gold medals.
Korean women Park Seung-hi and Cho Ha-ri will race in the 1,000-meter quarterfinal and the Korean men are vying for their third and fourth gold medals in the 500 meters and the 5,000-meter relay.
The 5,000-meter race provides the country's best opportunity for gold while the women's 1000-meter will be the most difficult.
Two-time gold medalist Lee Jung-su, 1,000-meter silver medalist Lee Ho-suk and Sung Si-bak, who narrowly missed out on a bronze, as well as either Kwak Yoon-gy or Kim Seoung-il, will team up to defend the men's relay title.
In the 500 meters, world No. 3 Sung is Korea's best bet ahead of Lee Ho-suk and Kwak. World-record holder Sung, who missed out on his first Olympic medal after crashing into teammate Lee Ho-suk during the final lap of the 1,500-meter final, is eager to win gold.
"Many people have consoled me and I feel much better," Sung said. "I really want the gold, especially in the 500 meters," added Sung.
The Koreans' biggest rival at this distance is defending champion Apolo Anton Ohno of the United States.
While the three Koreans have separate draws in the quarterfinals, Sung is in the toughest group along with Simon Cho of the United States and world No. 1 Charles Hamelin of Canada.
Sung is currently in the spotlight due to his abilities in Korea's weakest event.
While Korea has generated 17 short track gold medals since it officially became an Olympic event at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games, they have only once grabbed gold in the men's 500 meters ― in Lillehammer in 1994.
Korea's potential sweep of all four short track gold medals may depend on his performance.
Never in Olympic history has one country taken gold in each of the short track events.
Two Koreans, Ahn Hyun-soo and Jin Sun-yu, came both close with three wins each in Turin.
The women's short track team is eager to fight against China's domination. After being controversially disqualified after crossing the line first in the 3,000-meter relay ― their main target for gold at the Vancouver Games ― they watched as China won gold in a third event.
The Chinese team could take home gold in all the women's short track events, the same feat the Korean men are attempting to achieve.
Some Korean fans are missing triple-gold medalist Jin. She tried out for the national team while coming back from injury in April last year, but failed to qualify.
Winning gold in the 1,000 meters would likely silence any criticism against the women's team.
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