Milan: Speed skater Kim Jun-ho's pursuit of an Olympic medal ended quietly in Italy, as he completed the men's 500 meters event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, finishing 12th out of 29 skaters at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim recorded a time of 34.68 seconds, marking his final Olympic appearance. Throughout his Olympic career, Kim placed 21st in 2014, 12th in 2018, and reached his highest position of sixth in 2022. Despite not securing a medal, the 30-year-old expressed no regrets, stating he was proud of his efforts and accomplishments in the sport.

Kim acknowledged the challenges he faced over the past 24 years, including injuries and slumps, while also cherishing the positive experiences. He noted the past year as particularly challenging and expressed contentment with reaching his peak performance during the current season, highlighted by setting a new 500m national record of 33.78 seconds in November 2025.

Though Kim will not compete in the 2030 Olympics, he expressed optimism for the future generation of speed skaters. He placed his hopes on young athletes, like 21-year-old Koo Kyung-min, who finished 15th in the same event. Koo, who had a better showing in the 1,000m race earlier in the week, acknowledged his need for improvement and expressed determination to become a medal contender in future Olympics.

Source: Yonhap News Agency