Milan: By anchoring South Korea to the men's short track speed skating relay silver at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, Hwang Dae-heon continued his climb up the all-time medal leaderboard. Hwang combined with teammates Rim Jong-un, Lee June-seo, and Lee Jeong-min for the silver medal in the 5,000-meter relay behind the Netherlands at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan. Italy secured the bronze medal in the 45-lap race.

According to Yonhap News Agency, it was Hwang's second medal in Italy and his fifth career medal. The 26-year-old is now tied with Lee Ho-suk for the most Olympic medals by a South Korean male short track speed skater. Hwang previously won a 500m silver medal as a teenager at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games and later claimed a gold and a silver at the Beijing Winter Olympics four years later.

Despite battling a knee injury sustained in November, Hwang began his third Olympic Games by winning silver in the men's 1,500m last week, making him the first South Korean male short tracker to reach the podium at three consecutive Winter Games. He made history again on Friday by matching Lee Ho-suk's record, who earned his five medals across the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games.

Hwang's final push past Italy's Pietro Sighel in the last corner was crucial in elevating South Korea from third to second place. His future in the sport remains uncertain due to recent injuries and his physical style of skating, which may affect his potential participation in the next Olympics.

Meanwhile, Rim Jong-un, at just 18 years old, appears to have a promising future ahead. Rim earned bronze in the men's 1,000m last week, and the relay silver marked his second Olympic medal this season. This is Rim's first senior season, and he has already showcased his potential with these Olympic achievements, along with several other medals during the International Skating Union Short Track World Tour season. Winning the national team trials last spring ahead of veterans like Hwang highlights Rim's exceptional talent.

However, Rim showed some limitations during the Olympics, as he was unable to progress beyond the heats in the 500m, a race that emphasizes an explosive start due to its brief 4 1/2-lap format. Despite being pushed around in this contact-heavy event, Rim's potential for growth is significant, and with more experience and strength, he could achieve even greater heights in the future.