Short Trackers Facing Gold Drought
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
The South Korean short track team won just a single gold medal at the fourth Short Track World Cup in Marquette, Mich. this past weekend, as the team continues to struggle after dominating during the early part of the season.
On the final day of Olympic qualifying, South Korea won two silver and two bronze medals, for a total medal haul of one gold, two silver and four bronze at the competition.
The sole gold medal was won by Lee Jung-su in the men's 1,500 meters.
The third and fourth World Cups were the qualifiers for the Vancouver Winter Olympics next February.
The Asians, who have garnered 17 gold medals at the Winter Olympic Games, claimed 10 gold medals through the first two competitions held in Beijing and Seoul, but managed just two golds in Montreal, Canada last week, dampening expectations for a big medal haul in February.
Lee, 19, was seeking his second gold in the 1,000 following the 1,500-meter title, but finished just a hair behind winner Apolo Anton Ohno of the United States ― 1 minute 30.420 seconds to 1:30.450.
Sung Si-bak, who grabbed a bronze medal in the 500 meters Sunday, came in fourth with a time of 1:53.046.
Earlier the day, Park Seung-hi timed in at 1:31.171 in the women's 1,000 to finish third behind Wang Meng of China and American Katherine Reutter, who were at 1:31.005 and 1:31.081, respectively.
The gold medal drought continued in the relays.
In the women's 3,000-meter relay, the Korean team, composed of Cho Ha-ri, Kim Min-jung, Lee Eun-byul and Park, was second, one thousandth of a second behind their Chinese counterparts ― 4 minute, 10.785 seconds to 4:10.786.
The men's squad ― Kim Seoung-il, Lee Seung-jae, Lee Jung-su and Sung ― was third after clocking in at 6 minutes and 48.930 seconds.
Canada finished first and the United States took silver.
Mo Claims Bronze in Long Track Skating
Mo Tae-bum notched his first career podium finish at the Long Track Speed Skating World Cup in Heerenveen, Netherlands.
The 20-year-old timed in at 1 minute 09.11 seconds to win the bronze medal in the men's 1,000 meters Monday.
American Shani Davis raced in at 1:08.40 to edge Simon Kuipers of the Netherlands, who had a time of 1:09.06, for a gold medal.
Mo's compatriots Mun Joon and Lee Kyou-hyuk were sixth and 10th, respectively.
The South Korean team will skip this week's contest in Hamar, Norway, where only the long-distance races of 3,000 and 5,000 meters will be run. They will compete again in the fourth World Cup in Calgary, Canada, scheduled for Dec. 4 to 6.