Snowboarder Lee Sang-ho goes into Olympics hot with World Cup win 작성일 02-02 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/640/2026/02/02/0000083899_001_20260202165111700.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Lee Sang-ho competes during the parallel giant slalom qualification at the FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup stop in Scuol, Switzerland, on Jan. 10. [EPA/YONHAP] </em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Veteran snowboarder Lee Sang-ho is heading to the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on the back of a title he secured at the International Ski Federation World Cup on Saturday. <br> <br> Lee, 30, tuned up by winning the men’s parallel giant slalom at the World Cup event in Slovenia, edging Italian contender Roland Fischnaller by 0.24 seconds in the final. <br><br>Lee started the race slightly behind but moved ahead midway through the course when Fischnaller lost momentum. The two riders crossed the finish line almost simultaneously, but a video review confirmed that Lee had come in first. <br> <br> The victory marked Lee’s first World Cup win of the 2025-26 season and fourth in his career after wins in December 2021, January and March of 2024. <br> <br> He showed steady form from the qualifying rounds in Slovenia. Among 56 competitors, Lee posted the second-fastest qualifying time at 1 minute 01.25 seconds, finishing behind Fischnaller at 1 minute 01.01 seconds and earning the No. 2 starting bib. <br> <br> Alpine snowboarding, which features head-to-head racing on downhill courses, is a longstanding event in the Winter Olympics. European riders have traditionally dominated the event, while Lee stands out as one of the few Asian athletes to compete consistently at the top level. <br> <br> Lee also won a silver medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018. <br> <br> With ample experience in the sport, he will serve as captain of the Korean men’s team at the Milan Cortina Games. <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/640/2026/02/02/0000083899_002_20260202165111849.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Lee Sang-ho competes in the parallel giant slalom at the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland on March 20, 2025. [EPA/YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Lee’s Olympic preparation faced setbacks last year after he fractured his left wrist and spent several months in rehabilitation. <br> <br> “I used to grow anxious over injuries when I was younger, but repeated experiences helped me approach them more calmly,” Lee said. “In parallel giant slalom, experience matters as much as technique because races come down to one-on-one matchups. Many competitors, including Fischnaller, remain active into their 40s, so I prepared with a long-term approach." <br> <br> A snowboard national team representative described Lee’s lack of podium finishes early in the season as part of a broader preparation strategy. <br> <br> “After closely analyzing the Olympic course, we focused on adjusting equipment settings,” the representative said. “As the athletes adapted, their performances stabilized." <br> <br> Lee said in a post-race interview with the FIS that he wanted to secure a win after finalizing his equipment setup ahead of the Olympics. <br> <br> “I needed one victory before heading into the Games,” he said. <br> <br> The action at the 2026 Olympics will unfold on Friday and last through Feb. 22. <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 “다짐이 아닌 행동의 시작”…장애인 대표팀, 겨울패럴림픽 결단식 02-02 다음 "동계올림픽에 쌍둥이 변기?" 충격의 연속이었는데…이탈리아는 다르다! "세계 최고 수준 선수촌" 극찬 받네 [2026 밀라노] 02-02 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
