(Winter Olympics) Gold medals come from thorough study of skating skills: Jaegal

VANCOUVER, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- The surprising victories of South Korean speed
skaters in the men's and women's 500-meter races at the Vancouver Winter OIympics
are the fruit of investment in study and scientific training systems, a former
South Korean skater said Tuesday.
"Last year the Korea Skating Union (KSU) invested a lot in speed skating to
improve the performances of Korean skaters in the Olympics," said Jaegal
Sung-yeol, who competed in three Winter Olympics in the 1990s. "The investment
has made possible the rapid improvement of our speed skating skills in a
relatively short period time."
Jaegal did not give details, such as the monetary value of the investment.
South Korea has emerged in this year's Games as a speed skating powerhouse,
winning gold medals in the men's and women's 500-meter events as well as one
silver in the 5,000m long distance event.
The wins have surprised gold medal hopefuls from other countries.
Mo Tae-bum and Lee Sang-hwa stood on the top of the podium after their unexpected
victories in the 500m events. Mo edged two Japanese rivals, Keiichiro Nagashima
and Joji Kato, who won silver and bronze, respectively.
Lee Sang-hwa was faster than reigning world champion Jenny Wolf of Germany and
world No. 2 Wang Beixing of China. Lee also became the first Asian woman ever to
win a speed skating event at the Olympic Games.
"Based on the results of scientific studies of skaters conducted over years, the
condition of each athlete was carefully watched for several days before the race
began," said Jaegal, who is a starter for the International Skating Union (ISU)
and a sports commentator.
The KSU asked for help from a sports science institute, and it analyzed physical
strength and start reaction of each athlete. The institute helped the athletes
make up for their weak points.
The situation of the Richmond Olympic Oval was also analyzed.
"The condition of the ice and the temperature of the track were also closely
checked so that skaters could adapt themselves to the situation for their best
performance in the races."
Two experts -- one of whom former short track Olympic gold medalist -- have
accompanied the South Korean squad to Vancouver to help sharpen the team's
skating blades and make them suitable for the ice conditions of Richmond Olympic
Oval, where the speed skating event is held.
That has helped South Korean skaters slide faster in the races, some of which
have been delayed due to improper ice conditions, Jaegal said.
He also noted that South Korean speed skaters have been training in a short track
speed skating rink, which has a shorter radius and sharper curve than the long
track.
"The short track measures 8 meters in radius while the long track is 23 meters,"
he said. "Skating around the shorter track helps sprinters later in the long
track, enabling them to control their bodies more smoothly."
That might explain Lee Seung-hoon's stunning silver medal performance in the
5,000m event. He failed to obtain the ticket to Vancouver as a short track skater
in a national competition held in April last year, so he turned to speed skating
three months later.
South Korea has dominated the short track skating events in Olympics for decades,
clinching seven gold medals since the sport became a regular event in the 1992
Albertville Olympics.
Lee said years of hard training in short track helped him win silver in his first
Olympic race.
"For short track speed skating I worked hard to make better speed on corners.
That helped me skate well in speed skating," Lee said.
South Korean speed skaters are aiming for another surprise medal in the men's
1,000m event on Wednesday against world record holder Shani Davis of the United
States.
brk@yna.co.kr
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