Banged-up short tracker cherishes latest medal

Hwang Dae-heon of South Korea celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Feb. 14. Yonhap

MILAN — Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon is big on accessories. As a three-time Olympian, Hwang now has four medals, the best type of bling an athlete could ask for.

Hwang added to his collection by winning the silver medal in the men's 1,500 meters at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday in Milan. He finished just behind Jens van 't Wout of the Netherlands for his second straight medal in the 1,500m, following his gold from four years ago.

"I actually love accessories, and it would have been nice to have won a gold medal here," Hwang said with a smile after the victory ceremony at Milano Ice Skating Arena. "This silver medal is still very precious to me. I am proud of standing where I am today after all that I've gone through. I want to also thank my teammates for trusting me and helping me get here."

Hwang has had a dramatic career arc. He won his first Olympic medal as a teenager in 2018 but got embroiled in a legal battle with former national team member Lim Hyo-jun after that. Hwang also became a villain of sorts among short track fans by frequently fouling and ultimately injuring another teammate, Park Ji-won, at international races.

Then came a knee injury in November last year that could have derailed his medal hopes. He arrived in Milan this month at less than 100 percent, though he said he was getting better.

"I have more races left here," Hwang said of the men's 500m and the 5,000m relay. "So I will continue to get treatment and try to stay locked in for the rest of my Olympics."

The 1,500m final featured nine skaters, including another South Korean, Shin Dong-min. As the 13 1/2-lap race progressed, a few skaters fell out of the battle, affording Hwang some extra space to make his late moves.

"This didn't catch me by surprise because we had 10 finalists in Beijing," Hwang said. "I just had to spend a lot of time analyzing the latest trends in short track and devise my strategies accordingly. I think I was able to execute my plans the way I wanted."

Hwang had won only one silver and one bronze during the 2025-2026 International Skating Union World Cup season prior to the Olympics, and was not considered a strong medal threat here. But Hwang said he had used his recent slump to push himself even harder.

"I went through so many trials and errors during the World Cup season, and they forced me to go back to the drawing board," Hwang said. "The work I put in behind the scenes allowed me to get to this spot. And I wanted to trust myself even more than usual and make sure I wouldn't fear anything."