Sports Briefs

SHORT TRACK

North Korean speed skater injures ankle during training

North Korean short-track speed skater Choe Un-song was treated for an injury to his right ankle during training on Friday.

Choe took a bad spill and crashed hard into safety padding during his first training session at Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung, a sub-host city of all ice events during the Feb. 9-25 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Choe was stretchered off the ice and taken to a nearby hospital. His right leg was heavily wrapped up as he was carried out of the arena.

Choe reached the hospital at 7:55 p.m., about five minutes after the crash. The Olympic organizing committee said Choe was treated for laceration to his right ankle and was released from the hospital at 9:38 p.m.

It remains uncertain whether Choe would be able to compete in the Olympics. He’s scheduled to race in the 500 meters, and the heats for that event will take place on Feb. 20.

Choe’s coach, Yun Chol, and teammate Jong Kwang-bom left the arena without speaking to reporters.

Choe is among 22 North Korean athletes set to participate in the first Winter Games in South Korea.

ALPINE SKIING

Jilted alpine skiers to stage a protest in Pyeongchang

Korean alpine skiers who failed to earn an Olympic selection will stage a protest in Pyeongchang, the host city for the upcoming Winter Games, with their families, local authorities here said Saturday.

According to the Pyeongchang Police Station in Gangwon, the skiers and their family members submitted a document on Friday to stage a rally on the streets in Hoenggye, Pyeongchang, some 180 kilometers (111.85 miles) east of Seoul. They plan to have a 90-minute protest each day from Sunday to Thursday. Officials expect some 50 will join the protest.

The Korea Ski Association (KSA) last week said only four alpine skiers - two men and two women - can compete at the Olympics, leaving five other national team members in anger and disappointment. Following the KSA’s decision, some skiers questioned whether the selection process was clean.

Among the five was Kyung Sung-hyun, who failed to earn the selection even though he had attended Korea’s Olympic team launch ceremony while wearing the national team uniform. Kyung then filed a court injunction against the KSA to suspend its Olympic team selection.

Those who take part in the protest said they will don the national team uniform, which was given to them by the KSA, on the streets.

FOOTBALL

Ki Sung-yueng sets record for EPL games by a Korean

Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung-yueng has set a record for most English Premier League (EPL) appearances by a Korean.

Ki played his 155th EPL match against Leicester City at King Power Stadium in Leicester, Britain, on Saturday (local time), overtaking former Manchester United man Park Ji-sung as the Korean with the most EPL appearances.

Ki made his EPL debut in the 2012-2013 season after he moved from Scottish giants Celtic to Swansea. He played 30 EPL matches before he was loaned out to Sunderland next season. In a Sunderland jersey, he made 27 appearances.

The 29-year-old made his return to Swansea in the 2014-2015 season and has been playing for the Welsh club since.

In his 155th appearance, Ki collected his first assist in the league this season after his corner met Federico Fernandez for an equalizer in the 53rd minute. Swansea played to a 1-1 draw with Leicester.

Ki has played 14 matches so far this season but has yet to register a goal.

Yonhap