Seoul: Lee Seung-hoon, the most decorated South Korean speed skater in Olympic history with six medals from four Winter Games, announced his retirement from international competition. The 37-year-old decided to step back after failing to secure a spot for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy during the national team trials at Taeneung International Rink in Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee finished fourth in the men's 5,000 meters at the trials with a time of 6:43.87, as only the top two skaters earned Olympic berths. Chung Jae-won won the race, clocking in at 6:41.73, followed by high school skater Cho Seung-min, who marked a time of 6:41.85. Lee had only registered for the 5,000 meters event at the trials.

Lee first captured international attention with a gold medal in the men's 10,000 meters at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and added a silver in the 5,000 meters at the same event. He continued his success with a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, held on home turf, Lee earned another gold in the men's mass start and a silver in the team pursuit.

He extended his Olympic podium streak to four consecutive Games by winning a bronze in the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. In March, Lee demonstrated his enduring skill by securing a silver medal in the mass start at the world championships, marking his first medal at the event in nine years.

Despite his retirement from the national team, Lee expressed relief and optimism about his future contributions to the sport. "I am relieved. It feels good to have some weight lifted off my shoulders," Lee stated. "I will continue my career, but I will no longer be representing the country. I will keep skating and also start teaching younger athletes. I think I have so much to offer to speed skating in Korea."