SK Short Trackers to Compete Against Former Countryman

Sometimes following sports career isn't too easy for stars - they have to make crucial sacrifices to achieve their goals. But, with sports and world becoming more and more globalized, does it really matter which country do you represent? 

This is one of examples when it all goes well.

Short trackers not worried about S. Korean-born Russian star.

2013/10/02 14:33

South Korean short track speed skaters preparing for an upcoming World Cup race said Wednesday they will not be too concerned about going up against a former national team star now competing for Russia, writes South Korean Yonhap News.

Seoul's Mokdong Ice Rink will hold the second leg of the World Cup, organized by the International Skating Union (ISU), from Thursday to Sunday.

In the competition, South Korean male skaters will race against Viktor Ahn, a South Korean-born Russian short tracker. Born Ahn Hyun-soo in Seoul, the three-time Olympic gold medalist for South Korea became a Russian citizen in December 2011 to give himself a chance to compete at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

*Read Ahn's story of becoming Russian citizen: http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/skisnowboardkorea/291313.html

This week's ISU World Cup will be Ahn's first competition in South Korea since he acquired Russian citizenship. He grabbed four titles during last year's World Cup season and added two silver medals at the world championships held earlier this year.

At a media day event held Wednesday, members of the South Korean national team said they won't be caught up with Ahn's presence on the ice.

"Ahn will be just one of the foreign skaters," said Yoon Jae-myung, head coach of the men's team. "We won't do anything special to keep him in check."   Ahn is one of the most decorated short trackers in history. In addition to his three gold medals at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, Ahn was crowned the overall world champion in five straight years starting in 2003. He once held world records in the 1,000m, 1,500m and 3,000m races.

South Korean skaters echoed the sentiment of their coach. Sin Da-woon, the reigning overall world champion, said Ahn isn't the rival he's most worried about this week.

"I am more concerned about Charles Hamelin," Sin said of the Canadian who won two races at the previous World Cup event in Shanghai last month. "My biggest goal this week is to beat Hamelin."   Sin didn't win any medal in Shanghai. The only South Korean champion, the 1,500m gold medalist Noh Jin-kyu, has been ruled out of this week's World Cup because of a shoulder injury he sustained in a collision with Hamelin in that race.

South Korean women did much better than men in Shanghai. Shim Suk-hee won the 1,000m and 1,500m races, while Kim A-lang finished second in both races. Park Seung-hi was the runner-up in the 500m, and the South Korean team won the 3,000m relay over China and Italy.

Choi Kwang-bok, the women's head coach, said he hopes his skaters will win a medal in every race this week.

"Winning medals will give them more confidence," Choi said. "Even if they don't grab a medal, they will still learn something from their experience. Skating on the home ice adds pressure, but at the same time, it will make our skaters more proud (of representing the country)." - Yonhap News.