Как Ан Хён Су стал Виктором Аном
Южнокорейский Олимпийский чемпион по шорт-треку получил гражданство РФ и будет выступать за российскую сборную.
Ahn makes debut as Russian skater
2012-02-05 19:35
Former national short-track speed skater Ahn Hyun-soo, who recently changed his name to Viktor Ahn upon gaining Russian citizenship, made his debut for Russia at the World Cup short-track speed skating event in Moscow on Saturday. Ending his long hiatus from international competition, Ahn competed in the men’s 5,000m relay, helping Russia to advance to the semifinals.
In the 5,000m semifinals on Saturday, Russia was running in second, behind Korea with two laps to go. But the team failed to advance to the finals after their last skater fell in the final lap. Meanwhile, Korea’s Kwak Yoon-gi won the men’s 1,000m race with one minute 28.996 seconds, ahead of his teammate Noh Jin-kyu and China’s Liang Wenhao.
The 2010 Vancouver Olympics star Lee Jung-soo and Lee Ho-suk also took gold and bronze, respectively, in the men’s 1,500m. And Cho Ha-ri and Lee Eun-byul added gold and silver in the women’s 1,500m, proving again Korea’s prowess in short-track speed skating. Russia, however, failed to medal in its home event.
Despite the result, the Russian Skating Union announced that they were content with Ahn’s progress in Russia. Ahn, who was considered one of Korea’s premier skaters, won five successive world titles from 2003-2007, as well as three gold medals for Korea in the men’s 1,000m, 1,500m and 5,000m relay at the 2006 Turin Olympics before injuring his knee in 2008.
He lost his place on the Korean team due to the injury before the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, but he then claimed the reason for his ouster was a conflict with the Korean Skating Union. Ahn has been training in Russia since he lost his place.
The Russian Skating Union believes Ahn, who received his Russian passport last month, is going to be one of his new country’s medal hopefuls at its home Winter Games in Sochi 2014, wrote Korea Herald.
Korean short track star Ahn Hyun-Soo gets Russian citizenship
Korea’s three-time Olympic gold medalist in short track speed skating Ahn Hyun-Soo will compete as Viktor Ahn after receiving Russian citizenship, skating officials said Wednesday. The 26-year-old, among the world’s most decorated speed skaters with his sweep of three golds and one bronze at the Turin Games in 2006, announced in August that would represent Russia in international competition... - Korea and the World 29th December 2011
Why Korea`s greatest short track skater wants to join Russia
AUGUST 18, 2011 11:35
Three-time Olympic short track champion Ahn Hyun-soo once said his goal was to make a triumphant comeback at the 2014 Winter Olympics, wrote Donga Ilbo.
“I want to stand at the top of the victory stand at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics,” he said at the national winter sports championships in February this year. He still wants to win gold as a national team member again, but not as a Korean competitor.
○ Healing broken wings
Ahn wrote Wednesday on his page in Cyworld, a Korean social networking site, that he was seeking Russian citizenship. This came a day after the Russian Skating Union asked Moscow to grant him Russian citizenship and make him eligible to compete for Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
“I was training in Italy with the Russian national team when I heard the news. I apologize to my fans who had to hear the news indirectly,” said Ahn.
At first, he said he decided to join the Russian national team because he thought he could obtain dual citizenship.
Dual citizenship is prohibited in Korea, however. The Nationality Law stipulates that Koreans who voluntarily acquire foreign citizenship must drop their Korean citizenship, and dual nationality is permitted only if it is not voluntary.
On why he seeks to acquire Russian citizenship, Ahn said, “I was unaware of the procedures at first and simply thought that holding dual citizenship would be possible. I regret not having been cautious enough to check the details.”
“I made the decision (to become a Russian national) to concentrate in a better and more comfortable environment."
○ Competing in Russian national team tryouts next month
Ahn will compete in the Russian national team trials from Sept. 16. His father Ahn Ki-won said, “I heard my son can acquire Russian nationality before the start of the tryouts. I humbly but surely believe he will be selected to ultimately run as a Russian representative.”
Ahn Hyun-soo can compete internationally a year after acquisition of Russian citizenship, meaning he can join the Russian national team from the 2012-13 season.
He initially didn`t consider seeking Russian nationality when he went to the country. When he first announced his overseas move in April, his father said, “The decision was made so that Hyun-soo can deepen his short track experience in Russia. He is not considering switching nationality.”
Ahn Hyun-soo changed his mind in April, however, when he failed to qualify for the Korean Olympic squad and had to wait for another year to compete. The Russian Skating Union’s heartwarming hospitality also moved Ahn to change nationality.
“My son received special treatment in Russia. He had an exclusive doctor and coach. He liked this because he could fully devote himself to training,” said Ahn Hyun-soo’s father.
The dissolution of Ahn’s semi-pro team Seongnam City Hall last year also prompted him to move overseas.
○ Factional infighting
“Hyun-soo has no desire to return to Korea,” his father said. So what made him so desperate?
Ahn is one of the best short track skaters not only in Korea but also in the world. He claimed three gold medals at the 2006 Turin Olympics and won five consecutive world championships.
He started to decline in 2006, however, after he spoke of chronic factionalism in Korean short track skating. Intense factional fighting had broken out between Korea National Sport University and other colleges, and certain athletes, including Ahn, had been rumored to have been deliberately left off the national squad.
Ahn became the object of hatred after making this public. In 2008, the Korean Skating Union changed the schedule of national team trials, which raised doubts over whether it tried to prevent Ahn from making the team.
The trials were held twice a year in April and September but that suddenly changed in January 2008, when Ahn was injured, to once a year in April.
Ahn’s fans claimed that this was a conspiracy against Ahn. When the team trials were again changed last year to September, the five-time world champion said, “I`d been training according to the initial schedule, which made it difficult for me to manage my physical condition. I feel frustrated because I also have to go through basic military training.”
Last year, his father also mentioned a conspiracy in the Korean short track circle of supporting certain players.
On his bold attempt to change his nationality, Ahn Hyun-soo said, “I have no regrets. This might have harmed the image of short track speed skating, but I still think I did the right thing for the sake of the next generation.”
His father added, “I feel very bad that my son had to give up Korean citizenship. But he had a hard time in Korea devoting himself to training and competing. I humbly hope the people wish him the best.” - Donga Ilbo.
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