Know safety, no injury

Skaters to focus more on barring injury

By Kwon Ji-youn

Speed skaters began their second day of training at Sochi with a crash.

The Korean speed skaters arrived at the Black Sea resort town on Monday, and underwent their first training session at the Adler Arena Skating Center on Tuesday with no critical injuries.

But on day two, just two days before the start of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games, Kim Jun-ho, the youngest of the team, rammed into the fence while turning a corner, and was intially unable to sit up. He sustained no serious injuries but was treated for a cut on his finger.

Compatriot Lee Kang-seok, who Kim had taken down with him, said he felt a sharp pain in his left arm.

Fellow skaters including Lee Sang-hwa and Mo Tae-bum appeared concerned whether their teammates were hurt, but Kim and Lee Kang-seok resumed training after a brief break.

“We skaters need to be daring,” Kim said. “We can’t stagger after we fall in competition.”

Speed-skating coach Kevin Crockett confirmed that the two will have no problem competing in the Olympics.

Lee Kang-seok will compete in the 500-meter and the 1,000-meter competitions, while Kim will appear in the 500-meter event.

Mogul skier Seo Jung-hwa also fell while performing a jump during training. While she said she felt a strain in an arm muscle, the coaching staff later confirmed that it was a minor bruise. Seo will also be able to compete, but all athletes will need to be careful not to sustain any injuries before they get a chance to show the world what they can do.

Norwegian medal hopeful Torstein Horgmo wasn’t so lucky. The 26-year-old snowboarder crashed during training on Monday, and will be unable to compete in the Winter Games.

Horgmo had attempted a trick on the particularly dangerous slopestyle course and landed on his face and right shoulder, breaking his collarbone. Medics confirmed that he had sustained a fracture, and consequently organizers began working on changes to the slope “to make it smoother.”

The sport’s American megastar Shaun White also jammed his wrist while training for his slopestyle competition on Tuesday.

He described the notorious course at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park as “a little intimidating” and “a challenge,” but White has confirmed he will be able to partake in the upcoming competition.

Shortly after White’s injury, Marika Enne of Finland fell and hit her head, and was taken off the course on a stretcher with a concussion.

Friendly race

Reigning Olympic champion Lee Sang-hwa has been training with male compatriot Mo Tae-bum to strengthen her start prior to her event at the Sochi Games.

The two engaged in a friendly race on Tuesday to adapt to the ice at the Adler Arena. The score was one win, one loss ― but keep in mind, Mo did start five meters behind Lee.

Lee has often overwhelmed her female teammates with speed, and so she often trains with Mo, a good friend and partner.

Lee had expressed concern about the firmness of the ice after training, but observers have said she appears to be in great condition.

“As a coach, I like to see good records and good skating,” Crockett said after the two skaters’ friendly. “I can see that in both of them.”

Rooms still not ready

Meanwhile, the hotels at the Russian resort town still don’t seem to be ready ― journalists residing in the facilities have described them as “appalling” and “gross.”

Hotels are still under construction, water is not drinkable and guests have been advised not to splash it on their faces. Toilets don’t flush properly and construction workers have been going in and out of rooms, as have stray dogs.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has said the delays are inevitable and that the city will be ready when spectators arrive on Friday. But preparations are insufficient considering it has cost a record $51 billion to stage the Sochi Games, $11 billion more than the cost to host the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

Snowboarders arrive in Sochi

Korean snowboarders, including Kim Ho-jun, arrived in Sochi on Wednesday after a tiring 10-hour flight.

The team had attended a training camp at the Mammoth Mountain in California prior to their arrival, and expressed satisfaction with the snow conditions in Sochi, which Kim said were similar to that of the Mammoth.

“I don’t particularly like this ‘slushy’ type of snow, but whoever adapts to the snow best will perform best,” he said. “I don’t foresee any critical problems.”