(Winter Olympics) S.Korea expects Lunar New Year's Day to be 'gold day' in Vancouver

Chang Jae-soon
VANCOUVER, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has figure skater Kim Yu-na, a strong
gold medal hopeful in the Vancouver Olympics. But it will be the country's
short-track skaters that are expected to bring home the first gold medal in the
Games, making the upcoming Lunar New Year's Day a "gold day" for the country.

Short-track speed skating events kick off on Sunday Korean time, which falls
coincidently on Lunar New Year's Day or Seol, one of the country's two biggest
traditional holidays. Short-track skaters have traditionally been the most
prolific of South Korea's Olympic gold medal winners and this year is expected to
be no exception.
The country has made four top-10 finishes at five previous Olympic Games, a feat
that would have been impossible without short-track gold medals. The short track
squad has grabbed 29 medals, including 17 golds, out of 31 overall medals South
Korea has earned on the Olympic stage. It swept all 11 short track medals at the
Turin Winter Olympics four years ago, lifting South Korea to seventh in the
overall medial standing.
Ten short track skaters participating in this year's Games are hoping to repeat
the feat and win at least three golds, despite fiercer challenge from other
countries and the absense of star skaters and three-time gold medalists Ahn
Hyun-soo and Jin Sun-yu who had to give up competiting at this Olympics due to
injuries.
South Korea's first gold medal is expected to come from the men's 1,500-meter
race on short-track where three South Korean skaters will be competing. It has
not been made public which skaters South Korea will be fielding in the race, but
it is widely expected that they will be Lee Ho-suk, Sung Si-bak and Lee Jung-soo.
Lee Ho-suk, 23, stands at the front of the 10-man squad. He won one gold in the
5,000-meter relay and two silvers in the 1,500- and 1,000-meter individual races
in the 2006 Games. Lee has pledged he will bring home the country's first gold
medal this time.
Sung Si-bak, 22, is making his Olympic debut this year. Sung emerged as a star
when he won five golds in the Winter Universiade in 2007. Sung became the
national champion in April last year to grab a berth to Vancouver, beating both
Lee and Ahn. He has been praised as a gold medal hopeful in the 500-mete race, an
event that South Korea has traditionally been weak on.
In a gesture symbolizing his resolve to win this first Olympic gold medal, Sung
even had his long hair cut short.
"I had a haircut to make myself more determined," he said. "I go on the ice rink
telling myself this could be my last chance."
Lee Jung-soo has been overshadowed by Lee Ho-suk and Sung. But the U.S.-based
Associated Press recently named him a strong gold medal favorite, saying he could
win the 1,000- and 1,500-meter races.
South Korea could also win a surprise medal in speed skating before the
short-track events start.
Lee Seung-hoon, formerly a short-track skater, has repeatedly set Korean records
in men's 5,000-meter, raising hopes that he could be a surprise medalist in this
year's Olympics.
"There are no athletes that consider the meaning of the Olympics just the
participation," he said. "The goal of all athletes is gain medals."
A total of 46 athletes will represent South Korea at the 21st Winter Olympics,
supported by 37 coaches and officials. They are aiming to finish within the top
10 in the medal standings by winning at least five gold medals.
The country finished seventh with six golds, three silvers and two bronzes at the
Turin Winter Games four years ago.
Bobsled pilot Kang Kwang-bae will bear the flag to lead the team into BC Place
Stadium for the opening ceremony on Friday.
jschang@yna.co.kr
(END)

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