Korea's main Winter Olympic delegation heads to Italy
Korean athletes and officials competing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics pose before departing for Italy at Incheon International Airport, Friday. Yonhap
The main delegation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy left for the host country Friday, with sights set on topping the gold medal tally from the previous competition four years ago.
A group of 45 athletes and officials, led by Korea Skating Union President Lee Soo-kyung as chef de mission, departed for Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the two co-host cities of the Olympics.
Athletes who traveled Friday included those in short track speed skating, speed skating, snowboarding and skeleton. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said 38 athletes and officials headed to Milan, and the other seven left for Cortina d'Ampezzo via Paris.
Korea won two gold medals at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, and the KSOC has already said the goal this time is to bring home at least three gold medals.
"I would love for us to win three gold medals, and I am counting on some surprising stars to emerge," Lee told reporters at Incheon International Airport, before boarding her Italy-bound flight. "And I will do my very best to support our athletes to accomplish this goal."
Lee, a former figure skater, said while there may not be much buzz around the Olympics this time, it could all change once the competition begins.
"Once our athletes start creating memorable moments and inspiring people, then I think there will be a ton of interest in the Olympics," Lee added.
As of Tuesday, the KSOC said 71 athletes had qualified for the Olympics in six sports.
Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and speed skater Park Ji-woo, both competing in their third Olympics, will be the co-flag bearers at the opening ceremony on Feb. 6. The competition will wrap up on Feb. 22.
The Milan-Cortina Games will be the most widespread Olympics ever, with venues covering 22,000 square kilometers of land. Milan will be home to skating events and hockey, while Cortina d'Ampezzo will hold curling matches, sliding sports, alpine skiing and biathlon. They are joined by Valtellina Cluster for men's alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding and ski mountaineering, and Val di Fiemme Cluster for ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross-country skiing.