Korea Throws Party in World Short Track Skating

Korea swept 11 events except for the women’s 500m in the 2004 World Short Track Skating Championship which concludes this season.

Korea made a conquest of the men and women’s 1,000m and 3,000m, relay races and individual totals on March 22, the last day of the Championship which was being held in Yetebori, Sweden.

In addition, Korea gained three silver and bronze medals each, exceeding the best result in 2002’s championship (nine golds, seven silvers, one bronze) with 11 golds, three silvers and three bronzes. It was the team’s third year of victory in a row.

An ace, Ahn Hyun-soo (Korea National University of Physical Education), earned gold medals in the men’s 1500m, 1,000m, 3,000m, 5,000m relay, and individual total, winning five gold medals. Choi Eun-kyung (Korea National University of Physical Education) got 4 gold medals for the women’s 1,500m, 1,000m, 3,000m relay, and individual totals.

Ahn beat Chinese veteran Li Jiajun (one minute 27 seconds 16) easily with one minute 26 seconds 81 in the 1,000m final and placed first with five minutes and three seconds 67 competing with Song Seok-woo (five minutes nine seconds 80) in the 3,000m race. Additionally, partnered with Song Seok-woo, Jo Nam-kyu and Kim Hyun-gon and defeated Chinese Li Jiajun, Li Ye, Li Haonan and Sui Baoku (six minutes 49 seconds 23) in the 5,000m relay.

A spokesperson from the Korea Skating Federation remarked, “Determined shift in generation after 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics has been successful.” The men’s national team was changed, with many new faces such as Kim Hyun-gon (Kwangmoon High School), Song Seok-woo, and Jo Nam-kyu (Dangook University). In the women’s team, Byun Cheon-sa (Shinmok High School) and Jo Hae-ri (Sehwa women’s high school) were added to existing team members Choi Eun-kyoung and Ko Ki-hyun. (Sehwa women’s high school)

Meanwhile, the holder of third place in the men’s world rankings and 1,500m champion of Salt Lake Winter Olympics, American Apolo Anton Ono, was disqualified in the 1,000m’s semifinal for interrupting Lee Seung-jae (Seoul National University), and didn’t land in any finals at the finish.

Sung-Kyu Kim kimsk@donga.com