Incheon: Three-time Olympic short track gold medalist Choi Min-jeong announced her intention to refine her tactics ahead of her third Winter Games set to take place next year in Italy. Choi, alongside the national short track speed skating team, returned home after completing the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Tour season, which saw competitions in Canada, Poland, and the Netherlands.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during the four competitions, Choi garnered five individual medals, including one gold, two silver, and two bronze, placing her fourth in the women's overall standings with 650 points. Canadian skater Courtney Sarault led the standings with five gold medals and 980 points. "Throughout the World Tour season, I felt the Canadian skaters had improved a great deal," Choi remarked at Incheon International Airport. She expressed confidence in achieving favorable results at the Olympics with proper preparation and stated her focus would be on tactical elements rather than physical aspects.
The 27-year-old Choi, who has a history of excelling in the 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters, acknowledged her struggles in the 500m. Nevertheless, she secured a bronze medal in the event at the final World Tour stop. "Before the last two World Tour events, I worked really hard on generating speed and accelerating early in the race," Choi mentioned, highlighting the confidence boost from her results.
Rim Jong-un, an emerging 18-year-old skater on the men's national team, also made headlines. He secured his spot on the national team after a challenging domestic trial and won two gold medals and one silver medal in individual races on the World Tour. Rim finished eighth in the men's overall standings with 363 points, making him the top South Korean male skater.
Canadian skater William Dandjinou dominated the season, amassing 876 points with seven gold medals from 12 individual events. Rim acknowledged Dandjinou's strength but expressed confidence in his endurance skills. "I've gained plenty of experience ahead of the Olympics," Rim stated, emphasizing his strategy to analyze Dandjinou's performances for potential improvements.
Rim's season began with a 1,500m title and a 1,000m silver, though he faced challenges in subsequent events before winning the 1,000m gold in the final event. "I didn't do a good job of managing my physical condition," Rim admitted, but he expressed optimism for the upcoming Olympics in two months, citing lessons learned from the World Tour.