Breakout star speed skater Rim Jong-un eyes Olympic gold medal 작성일 01-28 4 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/28/0000083686_001_20260128170112256.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Rim Jong-un [700CREATORS]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Rim Jong-un, the breakout star of Korean men's short track, is already being hailed as a contender for the gold medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. <br> <br> Rim stunned the skating world by finishing first overall in the national team trials last year when he was still a high school senior. Since making his senior debut this season, Rim has racked up five gold medals in the first four ISU World Cup events, dominating not just his specialty, the 1,500 meters, but also the 1,000 meters and relay events. <br><br>Within the skating community, many are calling his Olympic gold all but guaranteed, despite the upcoming Games being his first. <br> <br> But Rim's path has not been a smooth one. His body bears the marks of three major injuries. <br> <br> In fifth grade, Rim accidentally sliced open his thigh with his skate blade. In middle school, he broke his shinbone. The following year, he fractured his ankle. Though the metal pins have been removed, lingering inflammation continues to cause pain. <br> <br> “I couldn’t walk without assistance for six months,” Rim recalled. “It took me a full year before I could put on skates again.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/28/0000083686_002_20260128170112434.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Rim Jong-un, center front, is seen training at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on Jan. 7. [YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> But with each scar serving as a hard-earned badge of survival, Rim's return to the ice has been nothing short of astonishing. He has lapped the 111.12-meter track in just 7.8 seconds. His stride appears effortless, but his speed is unmatched. <br> <br> The secret is to keep close to the ice. Similar to how a car tire fails to generate traction when it spins in the air, a skate blade must stay close to the ice to produce power. The longer both blades stay on the ice, the more force a skater can harness. <br> <br> Rim's deep cornering posture maximizes his skates' contact with the ice, allowing him to generate an explosive amount of power with a single push — a technique that borders on art. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/28/0000083686_003_20260128170112606.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Rim Jong-un [700CREATORS]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> It helps that rain or shine, he runs at least 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) on the track every day. <br> <br> “While others only run one [kilometer], I’ll do two,” Rim said. <br> <br> He also always reminds himself of his motto: not to skate well but perfectly. <br> <br> At the end of the day, however, Rim is still just 19 years old. A fan of the film “F1” (2025), he is a devoted follower of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Rim's own fans now affectionately call him “Ferrarim” — a nickname blending Ferrari and his surname. He’s even copied Leclerc’s hairstyle and once jokingly asked veteran teammate Choi Min-jeong, “Don’t I kind of look like him?” <br> <br> Additionally, his dream is to receive a message of support from Blackpink's Jisoo. <br> <br> Even without a shout-out from the girl group member, Rim underscored that “just standing at the starting line next to the stars [he] used to watch on TV is exciting.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/28/0000083686_004_20260128170112719.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Rim Jong-un is seen during a short track match at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on April 13, 2025. [YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> According to Rim, he learned his racing strategy from 2018 PyeongChang gold medalist Lim Hyo-jun, who now competes for China as Lin Xiaojun, and his aggressive overtaking from 2022 Beijing champion Hwang Dae-heon. <br> <br> His biggest rival this season is William Dandjinou of Canada, who has claimed seven gold medals. While Dandjinou towers over the Korean skater at 1.91 meters (6 feet 3 inches), Rim, standing at 1.75 meters, counters the height difference with his relentless endurance. <br> <br> “To wear the Korean flag is to represent the nation and to be rewarded for all the pain I’ve endured,” he said. “I won’t let the public down.” <br> <br> He’s aiming for gold in both the 1,500 meters and 1,000 meters. As for what comes after? <br> <br> “I just want to win with my teammates and eat real pizza and pasta in Italy.” <br><br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.</i> 관련자료 이전 리바키나, 시비옹테크 꺾고 호주오픈 4강행…조코비치도 행운의 4강 진출 01-28 다음 대한체육회, 올림픽e스포츠게임즈 선제 대응…워킹그룹 가동 01-28 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
