New Era of Ahn Hyun-soo in Short Track Speed Skating

"No one would stop me now!"

The handsome short track star Ahn Hyun-soo beat the world No. 1 Chinese player Jiajun Li, and got to win his second gold medal in the ongoing 5th Winter Asian Games.

Ahn recorded 1`31.142" in the men`s 1,000m final held yesterday in Mishawa Ice Arena, Japan. Thus, he was able to beat Liye and won the gold medal. Previously on Thursday, he brushed Jiajun Li behind and grabbed the gold medal. Thus, following Lee Gyu-hyuk, Lee won two medals in the Games.

On the corner a quarter of a lap apart from the final, Li tried to push ahead from the third to the top. In the process, he elbowed a South Korean skater Song Suk-woo, and had him fall. As a result, he got disqualified.

In the 4th World Cup held last December, Ahn beat a strong opponent Anton Ono (USA). By sinking Li as well, he got to gain confidence.

After the game, former national coach Chun Myung-gyu said, "Luck played a little. In any respect, he toppled powerful opponents. Thus, he will play confidently in the future. Actually, Ahn was a little afraid of competing with Li."

Ahn is just in second year at Shinmok High School in Seoul. Partly due to his inexperience, experts said, he lacked boldness despite his strong will to win. But his performance in this Winter Asian Games silenced all the worries, and drew him attentions around the world.

In the men`s 3,000m final, Song Suk-woo won the gold medal, and Lee Seung-jae the silver medal.

The silver medal in the women`s 3,000m went to Choi Eun-kyung, who won a gold medal in 500m. The gold medal went to a Chinese athlete.

In the men`s curling final held in the Aomori Sports Center, South Korea won the gold medal upon its first participation.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com