[PyeongChang 2018] Korean short track team starts training in upbeat mood

Published : Feb 6, 2018 - 13:39 Updated : Feb 6, 2018 - 13:47

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- South Korea's national short track speed skating team started training in the Olympic city of Gangneung on Tuesday, highly confident of their prospects at the upcoming PyeongChang Games.

The five male and five female skaters focused on speed and teamwork at the first training session at the ice rink at Gangneung Yeongdong University in the sub-host city of the Olympics.

They arrived in Gangneung on Monday. The Winter Games are set to kick off Friday.

"We have finished training in physical strength. Now, we aim to focus on speed and cooperation in the relay," said Lim Hyo-jun of the men's team after the training.

"The overall atmosphere was very good. I hope this can continue through the end of the competition.

They conducted the exercise after their rivals from Britain and Russia.

Lim said the teammates are better attuned to each other in preparing for the relay and that there would be a good result as long as they do not make mistakes.

South Korea`s national short track speed skaters train at an ice rink at Gangneung Yeongdong University, located in Gangneung, 240 kilometers east of Seoul, on Feb. 6, 2018. (Yonhap)

Seo Yi-ra of the men's team also said major preparations are already over and he will focus on maintaining the best condition for the competition.

"Contrary to concerns, I am not that nervous," Seo said. "This is a festival of the world that will not come twice. I want to enjoy this festival."

Kim A-lang, the oldest female skater in the national team, said her teammates are especially focusing on the relay program.

"The relay competition is meaningful as the five of us can win medals together," Kim said. "The teammates are saying, 'If we fail to make desirable results in individual events, we can forget about them as long as we do good in the relay.'"

"We are trying not to panic but cope smoothly with any circumstances," Kim said, apparently hinting at aggressive tactics used by Chinese rivals.

Kim said it is true that the team suffered major confusion last month when teammate Shim Suk-hee temporarily left the training venue after allegedly being assaulted by her own coach. Despite that, the incident became an opportunity for the members to bond even closer, Kim added.

The country, which has won medals in short track speed skating in every Olympics since it became an official sport in 1992, is widely expected to win more gold at the first Winter Games to be hosted at home.

Shim and Choi Min-jeong are strong medal candidates at the competition. Although the male skaters receive relatively less attention than the female counterparts, they are also aiming to secure the country's first gold in the men's 1,500 meter race Saturday.

Seo, Lim, and Hwang Dae-heon will compete in the race. South Korea grabbed gold medals in the event at the 2006 Winter Games courtesy of Viktor An, who later changed his nationality to Russian. Lee Jung-soo captured the top spot in the 2010 competition.

The men's team, however, failed to grab any medals in the Sochi Winter Olympics, making the upcoming event more important, as it will be an opportunity for them to recover their honor. Hwang currently stands at No. 1 in the global ranking of men's 1,500m skaters.

"Our teammates are making best efforts by saying, 'Let's do something,' all together," Seo said. (Yonhap)