Speed Skating Dynasty?! Can Newcomers Keep the Winning Streak Alive?

MILAN, Italy – The roar of the crowd, the glint of the ice, the razor-sharp blades cutting through air – it's almost time for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. For Korean Speed skating fans, there's a particular hunger: a return to the golden days. After a remarkable run of Olympic gold medals in speed skating, starting back in Vancouver 2010 and lasting through Pyeongchang 2018, the 2022 Beijing Games saw that streak snapped. It wasn't a disaster, of course – two silvers and two bronzes is still a pretty impressive haul, placing them third overall behind the Netherlands and a strong Canadian/Japanese contingent. But gold is the standard, and that's what the team is aiming for this year.

Speed Skating Dynasty?! Can Newcomers Keep the Win...

All eyes are on the women's 500 meters, where two skaters, Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun, represent both the present experience and the future promise of Korean Speed skating. Kim, at 26, is heading into her third consecutive Olympics. From early in her career, the whispers started: "the next Lee Sang-hwa." Lee Sang-hwa, of course, is a legend in Korea, having taken gold in the 500m in both 2010 and 2014, along with a silver in 2018. That’s a tough legacy to live up to, no doubt. Kim has certainly had her successes on the World Cup circuit, but hasn't quite achieved that same Olympic dominance. She placed 16th in 2018, and then improved to seventh in Beijing. The hunger is definitely there.

Kim experienced a breakthrough season in 2022-2023, absolutely dominating the 500m and claiming the overall title with an incredible five consecutive gold medals. However, looking ahead to Milan-Cortina, she made a bold decision: to overhaul her training regime. The goal was to peak in February, during the Olympics, rather than in the earlier World Cup season. It was a risk, and it meant sacrificing some immediate results. Still, she flashed some potential in the 2024-2025 season, earning a bronze at the opener, before enduring a few tough races. But after the New Year, she rebounded with a World Cup silver in February and a world championship bronze in March. It seems like the adjustment is starting to pay off, which is exactly what the team needs this close to the Games.

This season, Kim has been steadily building, finally cracking the top 10 at the third World Cup stop in December. Then, mid-December brought a breakthrough - a bronze medal, her first of the season. Then there's Lee Na-hyun, just 20 years old. She represents the next generation, the up-and-comer eager to make her mark. Will she break through at these Olympics? Or is it Kim's time to finally fulfill that early potential and step onto the top of the podium? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: the Korean speed skating team is ready to fight for that gold. They've got the experience, the talent, and the hunger. Now it's just a matter of putting it all together on the ice.