Kim Minseok was just two seconds away from a podium finish – Photo: Illyés Tibor / MTI
Kim Minseok, a bronze medalist for South Korea in the previous two Olympic Games, finished seventh in the 1500m event at Milan, his strongest discipline. An appearance on the podium proved out of reach, with the gold medal going to his close friend, Ning of China.
“I wanted to win Hungary’s first Olympic medal in speed skating, and I wasn’t able to achieve that, for which I apologize to the federation and the Hungarian people.”
– he said, according to MTI news agency reports. The skater refrained from speaking with the Korean press.
Speaking to M4, the 26-year-old athlete stated he gave it his all, but it simply wasn’t enough. He believes the training program for the Olympic season was flawed, as some workouts were highly effective but led to overexertion that impacted his speed. He finished eleventh in the 1000m event last week.
Kim received a three-year ban from his home country’s federation in July 2022 following a drunk driving incident, prompting his decision to seek a new national affiliation to continue his Olympic preparation. He arrived in Budapest with the assistance of coach Csul Vonli, whom he’s known since childhood. He obtained citizenship in the summer of 2024.
