ISU names Lim Jong-eon first rookie of year

Rising South Korean short track speed skater Lim Jong-eon, 19, has been named the inaugural Rookie of the Year at the International Skating Union’s newly launched Short Track Awards.

The International Skating Union held its first awards ceremony after concluding the 2025-26 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal on Sunday. Announcing the honor on its website, the ISU said Lim “delivered a sensational debut season.”

Lim, who finished first in last year’s national team trials while still in high school, opened the season in commanding fashion. At the first ISU World Tour event, he captured two titles in the men’s 1,500 meters and the men’s 5,000-meter relay.

He carried that momentum to the Olympic stage. At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Lim earned a silver medal in the men’s 5,000-meter relay alongside his teammates and added a bronze in the men’s 1,000 meters. He capped the season at the world championships with a double gold, winning both the men’s 1,000- and 1,500-meter events.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com