Can teen sensation Choi Tae-ho end Korea’s Olympic cycling drought?

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Can teen sensation Choi Tae-ho end Korea’s Olympic cycling drought?

Published: 07 May. 2025, 10:35 Updated: 07 May. 2025, 18:43

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Cyclist Choi Tae-ho competes during the national squad selection contest at Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on April 23. [KOREA CYCLING FEDERATION]

Choi Tae-ho is quickly becoming one of Korea’s most promising cyclists at just 18 years old, raising hopes that he could break the country’s longstanding Olympic drought in the sport.

Choi lined up at the national team trials at the velodrome inside the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong on April 23.

In the 1-kilometer (0.6 miles) flying start sprint — four laps around the 250-meter (820 feet) track — he hit speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour and clocked in at 55.661 seconds, beating out 14 more experienced riders, including members of the current national team.

He placed second overall in the two-day trials, narrowly missing first after finishing sixth in the 500-meter standing start sprint due to an unexpected gear change.

One more trial awaits him this fall, through which he can put his Taeguk mark.

Korea first entered Olympic cycling at the 1948 London Games but has never won a medal. The closest finish came in 2000, when Cho Ho-sung placed fourth in the men’s points race in Sydney.

While Korean cyclists have earned 121 medals — 39 gold, 37 silver and 45 bronze — at the Asian Games, Olympic success has remained out of reach.

Choi is widely viewed as a potential turning point. Born in 2007, he currently ranks No. 1 in the world among UCI junior U-19 riders.

He took bronze in the sprint while competing against mostly 2006-born athletes at last year’s Junior World Championships, before sweeping all four sprint events at the Asian Junior Championships earlier this year, a feat that is rare even for top cyclists from Japan and Malaysia, which have excelled in the sport.

Choi’s physical build suits his specialty. He stands 183 centimeters (6 feet) tall and weighs between 87 and 89 kilograms (191 to 196 pounds). His leg muscles, strengthened through cycling and aerobic cross-training like swimming, are a critical asset.

“Choi has shown outstanding athleticism since childhood through multiple sports,” said Kim Young-soo, vice president of the Korea Cycling Federation, during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. “If he continues to develop at this pace, we believe he has the potential to reach the Olympic podium.”

Choi began skiing at age 3. His mother, Jeon Seon-ran, hired a former national team coach to train him after seeing his talent.

Cyclist Choi Tae-ho trains at Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on April 23. [KOREA CYCLING FEDERATION]

However, a coach later observed his strong lower body and recommended that he switch to cycling, saying global success in skiing would be difficult for a Korean athlete.

Choi transitioned to BMX and track cycling when he was in middle school. Within one to two years, he began winning national events in both disciplines.

A BMX coach eventually encouraged him to focus on the track, noting that BMX offered limited international opportunities for Asian riders.

When Choi asked to train in Australia, Jeon agreed to relocate the family, despite the financial and personal challenges.

She promised to support him for five years, after which a contact in the Australian cycling community helped connect him to the national training system.

The family moved again two years ago — this time to New Zealand — to train with John Andrews, a national team coach and father of Olympic gold medalist Ellesse Andrews. Andrews has since coached Choi and continues to manage his training program free of charge.

Choi’s performances in Korea, however, tend to dip compared to his overseas results.

“Velodrome conditions may play a role, but Korea’s rigid training culture seems to affect athletes who developed overseas," a cycling official said on the condition of anonymity. "We’ve seen similar cases before. The Korea Cycling Federation is reviewing plans to base part of the national track cycling camp in New Zealand and bring in prominent foreign coaches if Choi joins the national team."

Cyclist Choi Tae-ho competes during the national squad selection contest at Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on April 23. [KOREA CYCLING FEDERATION]

If Choi secures a berth in the national team, he will have the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, to showcase his talent, before potentially making his Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The upcoming Asiad presents Choi with the challenge of reclaiming a gold medal that Korea missed at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, during which the country won four silver and two bronze medals in the sport.

The Asiad will pit him against cyclists from Japan and China, two of the best-performing countries in cycling at the Asiad.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM YOUNG-JU [[email protected]]