Short track skaters look strong after early missteps

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Short track skaters look strong after early missteps

Published: 10 Feb. 2022, 14:42

Choi Min-jeong, right, races in her heat of the women's 1000-meters during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

The Korean women’s short track team got back on track on Wednesday, reaching the women’s 3,000-meter relay race with Choi Min-jeong and Lee Yu-bin also reaching the 1,000-meter quarterfinals.

In the first heat of the 1,000-meter event, Choi comfortably topped her group with a time of 1:28.053. She started out the race in third place, but took the lead with eight laps remaining.

Choi’s time was good enough for a new Olympic record, although it didn't last long as Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands set a new record at 1:27.292 minutes later.

Lee, on the other hand, qualified after a close run. She was unable to get past third position until the very last lap, when Kim Boutin, who was leading the pack, tripped just before passing the finish line, enabling Lee to finish second with a time of 1:27.862.

Countrywoman Kim A-lang missed out on her chance to advance to the quarterfinals, coming in third in the sixth heat with a time of 1:28.680.

Choi Min-jeong, left, and Courtney Sarault of Canada, cross the finish line in the women's 3000-meters relay semifinal during the short track speedskating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics on Wednesday. [AP/YONHAP]

The women’s 3,000-meter relay followed the 1,000-meter race and Seo Whi-min joined Kim, Choi and Lee, racing in the sequence of Kim, Choi, Lee and Seo.

Korea took second place for most of the race then, with two laps remaining, Korea was pushed back to third position and Choi was the one to make up for the gap over the last few meters. After a photo review, Korea took second place with a time of 4:05.904, 0.009 seconds behind leader Canada.

Choi and Lee will compete in the women’s 1,000-meter quarterfinals on Friday with the medal event following in the evening. The women’s 3,000-meter relay medal event will take place on Sunday.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]