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Speed skaters off podium in only event for S. Korea

February 18, 2022

With Beijing 2022 heading into the final weekend, Friday was the quietest day for South Korea in the Chinese capital so far.

Cha Min-kyu of South Korea competes in the men's 1,000m speed skating race at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 18, 2022. (Yonhap)
Kim Min-seok of South Korea competes in the men's 1,000m speed skating race at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 18, 2022. (Yonhap)

Cha Min-kyu of South Korea competes in the men’s 1,000m speed skating race at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 18, 2022. (Yonhap)

The men’s 1,000m speed skating race was the only event involving South Korean athletes on this day. Cha Min-kyu finished 18th out of 30 with a time of 1:09.69 at the National Speed Skating Oval, while Kim Min-seok ranked 24th at 1:10.08.

Cha had earlier won silver in the 500m, and Kim came in with bronze in the 1,500m, but they failed to add to that total in their final races in Beijing.

With two days of competition remaining, South Korea sits in 14th place in the medal standings with two golds, four silvers and one bronze.

Saturday will be the final day of speed skating races here, with the men’s and women’s mass start scheduled. Lee Seung-hoon, a four-time Olympian with five career medals, is the men’s defending champion. Kim Bo-reum, competing at her third Olympics, won silver in the women’s mass start four years ago.