Veteran, teen debutant set to lead S. Korean charge in short track
Choi Min-jung, a short track speed skater competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics, speaks to reporters before departing through Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport for the Milano–Cortina Games, Friday. Yonhap
South Korea has won more medals in short track speed skating than any other country in Olympic history with 53 total medals — including 26 gold medals. Also, it has grabbed more medals from short track than all the other sports combined in its 19 previous Winter Games.
And at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games in northern Italy, short track speed skaters will once again be expected to do the heavy lifting.
Leading the charge for the women's team will be the three-time Olympic champion Choi Min-jeong, who will look to make South Korean sports history.
She has won five medals over the past two Olympic Games, and one more medal will push Choi into a tie with three others for the most Olympic medals by a South Korean athlete. Former shooter Jin Jong-oh, ex-archer Kim Soo-nyung and speed skater Lee Seung-hoon each won six medals.
Choi is also one gold medal away from matching former short tracker Chun Lee-kyung for the most Winter Olympic gold medals by a South Korean.
Choi, 27, sat out the 2023-2024 season for a mental reset and is now gearing up for what could be her final Olympics.
Rim Jong-un, a short track speed skater set to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics, is seen at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport to depart for the Milano–Cortina Games, Friday. Yonhap
On the men's side, teenager Rim Jong-un is preparing for the first of what could be several Olympic appearances.
The 18-year-old came out of nowhere to win the national team trials over veterans last spring and went on to collect five gold medals across four events in the International Skating Union Short Track World Tour season.
For both Choi and Rim, in-form stars from Canada will present the biggest threats: Courtney Sarault in the women's races and William Dandjinou on the men's side.
Sarault claimed five individual gold medals in the World Tour season, including at least one each in every distance, the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m, as she captured the overall title. Dandjinou was the most dominant male skater in World Tour events, with seven individual titles, including a sweep of the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m gold medals at the second World Tour stop in his native Canada in October.
The short track competition in Milan will begin Feb. 10 with the heats in the women's 500m and the men's 1,000m, and the quarterfinals, semifinals and final in the mixed 2,000m relay. It will conclude Feb. 21, and the women's 1,500m, where Choi will seek her third straight gold, will be the very last final.
All short track races will be held at Milano Ice Skating Arena.