Milan: In the weeks leading up to her third Winter Olympics, speed skater Kim Min-sun often discussed her altered training program aimed at peaking just in time for the big competition in February. With her main event, the women's 500 meters, only 11 days away at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in northern Italy, Kim remained silent about the current state of her preparation on Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim refrained from commenting on how prepared she feels, responding with a simple "No comment" and a sheepish grin when asked to quantify her progress. Earlier, she participated in a test run of the women's 500m with 15 other skaters at Milano Speed Skating Stadium. Kim has restructured her training after noticing fatigue during the latter part of the speed skating season, which runs from October to March, aiming to peak in February when the Winter Olympic races are typically held.

Kim is now set to test this potentially career-defining change. On Wednesday, without exerting maximum effort, she clocked 39.26 seconds, about two seconds slower than her seasonal average. "I was just out here trying to get a better feel for the ice," Kim said, adding that the test was also a chance to observe the organizers' drone testing.

She highlighted the importance of a strong start in the 500m race. "In the 500m, the start is really crucial, and I will have to focus on not making any mistake in that part of the race," Kim stated. "The ice conditions aren't great but they aren't that bad, either. Let's see how they change closer to the competition."