South Korea secures fifth medal, eyes more in short-track speed skating
By Lee HughPosted : February 15, 2026, 14:36Updated : February 15, 2026, 15:21
Short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon reacts after winning a silver medal in the men's 1,500 meters at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 14, 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, February 15 (AJP) - With this year's Winter Olympics now halfway through in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, South Korea added one more silver medal as short-track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon finished second in the men's 1,500 meters on Saturday.
South Korea is currently ranked 14th in the overall tally, with one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals. Norway continued to lead the standings with ten gold medals, followed by Italy with six, the U.S. with five, and both Australia and France with four each.
Hwang's medal was the country's fifth, following snowboarders Kim Sang-gyeom, who won silver in the men's parallel giant slalom; Yoo Seung-eun, who took bronze in the women's big air; Choi Ga-on, who claimed gold in the women's halfpipe; and skater Rim Jong-un, who earned bronze in the men's 1,000 meters in short-track speed skating.
With 71 athletes competing at this year's quadrennial sporting event on snow and ice, South Korea is aiming for a top-10 finish with at least three gold medals.
Short-track speed skater Choi Min-jeong (far right) competes in the semifinal of the women's 3,000-meter relay at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 14, 2026. Yonhap
The country is now expecting more medals in short-track speed skating. Earlier in the day, the women's 3,000-meter relay team consisting of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li, Lee So-yeon, and Shim Suk-hee advanced to the final, which is slated for Wednesday.
After missing out on medals in both the women's 500 meters and the mixed relay earlier last week, they are determined to win this time. Choi and Kim, who also advanced through the preliminary round of the women's 1,000 meters along with Noh Do-hee, are set to compete in the semifinals and final scheduled for Monday.
Skater Kim Jun-ho competes in the men's 500-meter speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 14, 2026. Yonhap
In speed skating, Kim Jun-ho wrapped up his fourth Olympic appearance by finishing 12th in the men's 500 meters with a time of 34.68 seconds, while his compatriot Koo Kyung-min placed 15th with a time of 34.80 seconds.
Speed skaters Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun are set to compete in the women's 500 meters later in the day.
Biathlon athlete Ekaterina Avvakumova reacts after crossing the finish line during the women's 7.5-kilometer sprint at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 14, 2026. AFP-Yonhap
Russian-born Ekaterina Avvakumova, who became a naturalized South Korean in 2016, finished 58th out of 91 competitors in the women's 7.5-kilometer biathlon sprint with a time of 23:18.03. She previously made history by winning South Korea's first-ever biathlon gold medal at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin.
Biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, became an official Olympic discipline for women at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France.
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen reacts after winning a gold medal in the men's giant slalom at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 14, 2026. AFP-Yonhap
Meanwhile, Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen became South America's first Winter Olympic medalist by winning gold in the men's giant slalom. It was the first time an athlete from a South American nation had ever won a medal at the Winter Olympics, which began in 1924.
Braathen, born to a Brazilian mother and Norwegian father, competed for Norway at the 2022 Beijing Olympics before switching to represent Brazil in 2024.