South Korea Targets Top-10 Finish at Milan-Cortina Olympics, Eyes Key Medal Day

South Korea’s Choi Min Jeong, left, and Kim Gil Li are set to skate in the women’s 1,500 meters, the team’s strongest gold-medal prospect at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Photo: Yonhap — South Korea’s Choi Min Jeong, left, and Kim Gil Li are set to skate in the women’s 1,500 meters, the team’s strongest gold-medal prospect at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. [Photo=Yonhap]

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are about to begin, and South Korea are aiming to return to the overall top 10. The delegation expects a pivotal “golden day” late in the Games on Feb. 21 (Korea time).

The Olympics open with a Feb. 6 ceremony and run for 17 days. South Korea are sending 71 athletes across six sports, with a goal of three gold medals and a top-10 finish. Lee Soo Kyung, president of the Korea Skating Union and head of the delegation, said at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 30, “I hope we can win three gold medals, and I think a surprise star will emerge.”

South Korea last finished in the top 10 in the Winter Olympics medal table at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, placing seventh with five gold, eight silver and four bronze medals. Their most recent top-10 finish at an Olympics held abroad was fifth at the 2010 Vancouver Games (six gold, six silver, two bronze). South Korea also placed in the top 10 at Lillehammer in 1994 (sixth), Nagano in 1998 (ninth) and Turin in 2006 (seventh). At the 2022 Beijing Games, they finished 14th (two gold, five silver, two bronze).

South Korea’s medal chase begins Feb. 8, the day after the opening ceremony. Lee Sang Ho, a silver medalist at Pyeongchang, will try to deliver the first medal in men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding, where he is viewed as a dark horse. The first gold could come Feb. 10, when the short track team race in the mixed 2,000-meter relay.

On Feb. 13, Choi Ga On will go for gold in the women’s halfpipe snowboarding final after winning three International Ski and Snowboard Federation World Cup events ahead of the Olympics. The short track men’s 1,000 final is also scheduled that day, with Lim Jong Eon, Hwang Dae Heon and Shin Dong Min entered.

Cha Jun Hwan, who placed fifth at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, is aiming to become South Korea’s first male figure skater to win an Olympic medal. Photo: Yonhap — Cha Jun Hwan, who placed fifth at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, is aiming to become South Korea’s first male figure skater to win an Olympic medal. [Photo=Yonhap]

The men’s figure skating free skate, featuring Cha Jun Hwan, is set for Feb. 14. Cha, who finished fifth in Beijing, is seeking South Korea’s first Olympic medal by a male figure skater. On Feb. 15, Lim, Hwang and Shin will skate the short track men’s 1,500 final, a key event for South Korea as they aim for a third straight Olympic gold in the distance after Pyeongchang and Beijing.

Speed skaters Kim Min Sun and Lee Na Hyun will compete in the women’s 500 on Feb. 16. That day, short track skaters Choi Min Jeong, Kim Gil Li and Noh Do Hee will race the women’s 1,000. The women’s short track team are also scheduled for the 3,000 relay on Feb. 19. The women’s figure skating free skate is on Feb. 20, with Shin Ji A hoping to contend for a medal.

Feb. 21 is expected to be South Korea’s “golden day.” The short track women’s 1,500 final, their top gold-medal target, is scheduled then with Choi Min Jeong, Kim Gil Li and Noh entered. Choi is trying to win a third straight Olympic title in the event after Pyeongchang and Beijing. The men’s team will also race the 5,000 relay that day. In speed skating, Jung Jae Won is set to compete in the men’s mass start, with expectations he can improve on his silver medal from Beijing.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Kang Sang Heon ksh@ajunews.com