Olympic veterans, first-timers looking to push each other at Winter Games

Korean figure skaters set to compete at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics pose after their joint press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap

Still only 24 years old, figure skater Cha Jun-hwan is gearing up for his third Winter Olympics already. And he claimed Wednesday he is just as excited about his third one as he was ahead of his Olympic debut eight years ago.

"I will try to bring the same enthusiasm and passion to my third Olympics," Cha said at a joint national team press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province. The presser marked the 30-day countdown to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and Cha was joined by three other figure skaters bound for Italy — fellow male skater Kim Hyun-gyeom and two women's singles skaters, Shin Ji-a and Lee Hae-in.

Cha is the only member of that quartet with prior Olympic experience. He finished 15th at the 2018 PyeongChang Games as a cherubic teenager and ended up in fifth place four years later in Beijing — the best performance by a Korean male singles figure skater.

Cha said he expects big things out of his teammates in Milan.

"They've been working hard all season long and I am confident they can accomplish whatever they set out to accomplish," Cha said. "As athletes, our goal is obviously to win a medal. But even if we fall short of that, we will still try to present the best versions of ourselves."

Kim, 19, won the men's singles title at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics and said he will try to lean on that experience in his first senior Olympics.

"Back then, I told people that my goal was to make it to the senior Olympics. But I still had some doubts myself," Kim said. "But now that I am on my way to the Olympics, I will leave it all on the ice and make sure I won't have any regrets at the end."

Kim said with a smile, "Finishing first at the Olympics isn't impossible, right? I will do whatever it takes to show my best performance."

Shin, who topped the Olympic trials, said she was looking forward to meeting "world-class athletes" from around the world while in Milan and added, "I'd also like to do some sightseeing in and around Milan."

"I think I will be really nervous since this will be my first Olympics," the 17-year-old added. "But hopefully, I will still be able to put on a good show."

Lee almost saw her career come to an end two years ago, when she was suspended for three years by the Korea Skating Union (KSU) over allegations that she'd sexually harassed a teammate during training camp. She won a court injunction to halt the ban and the KSU fully reinstated her last year, allowing Lee, the 2023 world silver medalist, to return to the ice.

"I went through some difficult moments in the days leading up to the Olympic trials, but I tried to be resilient regardless of results," Lee said. "Qualifying for the Olympics isn't my end goal. I will try to use it as a stepping stone for further growth, and it's a huge honor for me to join other athletes on our journey toward our Olympic dreams."

Korean short track speed skaters set to compete at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics train during an open training session at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap

In short track speed skating, three-time Olympic champion Choi Min-jeong will compete at her third consecutive Winter Games alongside first-timers such as Kim Gil-li and Rim Jong-un. Choi, 27, said she will relish the opportunity to compete alongside the youngsters.

"I love these teammates and I have so much faith in them," Choi said. "I think we will have a chance to further strengthen our case as a short track powerhouse with these young athletes. I hope I can do my part, too."

Rim, the youngest Korean short tracker in Milan at 18, said he wants to make his sacrifices all worthwhile.

"I've had to give up so much to prepare for my first Olympics," Rim said. "I will try to skate with confidence and beat other skaters with my energy and techniques."

Kim, 21, is already an accomplished skater with four world championship medals, among other international victories, to her credit. The only thing missing in her resume is an Olympic medal.

"We've been training hard in both the men's and women's relays and also in the mixed relays," Kim said. "I would love to reach the podium in relays."

Lee June-seo, a second-time Olympian on the men's side, said he expects more than just one relay medal from Kim and the rest of the women's team.

"I think our female skaters have taken huge steps forward over the recent months," the 25-year-old Lee said. "On top of the relay, I think they can win a couple more gold medals in individual races, too."

Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and a four-time Olympian, said he understands where these athletes come from, be they veterans or debutants.

"I think they will all have the same mindset because no matter how many times you've been to the Olympics, it's still every athlete's dream to get there," Ryu said. "I think we have an ideal setup with our teams here, because we have experienced athletes who can lead the way and also young athletes who can bring energy and a sense of purpose."