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[스포츠뉴스]Speed skating rising star Lee Na-hyun aims to compete 'boldly' at first Winter Olympics

온카뱅크관리자

2026-01-07 11:14:00

<div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/07/0000082705_001_20260107111514265.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">National team speed skater Lee Na-hyun poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a cafe in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, on Jan. 5. [WOO SANG-JO]</em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> For years, 27-year-old skater Kim Min-sun was seen as the heir to Korea’s “Ice Queen” Lee Sang-hwa. But with one month remaining before the start of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Feb. 6, another name is being added to the list of top contenders in the women’s 500 meters &#8212; 21-year-old rising star Lee Na-hyun.  <br>    <br> Kim signaled her potential with a seventh-place finish in the 500 meters at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and went on to win silver and bronze at subsequent world championships, cementing her status as Korea’s next-generation sprint ace.  <br><br>But Lee Na-hyun emerged as a serious rival at the Harbin Winter Asian Games in February last year, capturing gold in the 100 meters, silver in the 500 meters and bronze in the 1,000 meters. She cemented her ascent by defeating Kim in the 500 meters at the 52nd National Sprint Championships in December.  <br>    <br> “I can’t believe how fast time is flying,” Lee said with a smile during an interview at a cafe near Taereung International Skating Rink in northern Seoul on Monday. “It feels like just yesterday that I read there were 100 days to go.    <br>    <br> “Now the Olympics are just a month away,” Lee continued. “It’s my first time, and I’m really excited. I don’t want to be intimidated by the big stage &#8212; I want to enjoy the race and skate boldly, just like I always do.”  <br>    <br> Standing at 170 centimeters (5 feet, 7 inches) tall, Lee’s height gives her powerful strides, a key advantage in the short 500-meter sprint. Her explosive start is one of her biggest strengths, and physically, she matches up well with her European and American competitors.  <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/640/2026/01/07/0000082705_002_20260107111514446.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">National team speed skater Lee Na-hyun poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a cafe in Namyangju, Gyeonggi on Jan. 5. [WOO SANG-JO]</em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> Lee is currently ranked No. 4 in the 500 meters on the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup circuit.    <br>    <br> “I’d say I’m at about 90 percent right now,” she said. “My stamina was a bit low from the World Cup schedule, but after taking some time to rest, I feel much better.”  <br>    <br> Lee first stepped onto the ice during a skating class over winter break in first grade. She moved to Australia in fourth grade, pausing her skating journey, but returned to Korea two years later and resumed training.  <br>    <br> “There was something about her eyes &#8212; they changed the moment she put on skates,” said her mother, Lee Seung-yeon. “With that kind of determination, her skills improved rapidly. By sixth grade, she started down the elite path.”  <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/640/2026/01/07/0000082705_003_20260107111514606.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Lee Na-hyun is seen during a national Allround Championship match at Taereung International Ice Rink in Nowon District, northern Seoul on Dec. 26, 2025. [YONHAP] </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> “She was always the type to complete any task you gave her,” Lee’s mother added. “I thought she might major in sports someday, but I never imagined she’d become a national athlete. I just hope she skates her best in Milan and doesn’t get too nervous.”  <br>    <br> Lee Na-hyun grew up idolizing Lee Sang-hwa, especially after watching her at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. She once ran into the retired legend at a training center, and when Lee Sang-hwa offered a word of encouragement &#8212; “Fighting!” &#8212; the younger Lee could only respond in awe, shouting, “Wow!”  <br>    <br> Now, following in those footsteps, Lee Na-hyun’s days are filled with training. Mornings are spent off the ice, with workouts like deadlifts, squats and endless sprints. Afternoons are for grueling sessions on the ice.  <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/640/2026/01/07/0000082705_004_20260107111514887.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Speed skater Lee Na-hyun is seen arriving at Incheon International Airport, returing from the Harbin Winter Asian Games, on Feb. 12, 2025. [NEWS1] </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> “There were many times I wanted to quit,” she admitted. “But this is the path I chose &#8212; no one else made me do it. So I’ve stuck with it.”  <br>    <br> Her Olympic rivals include current world No. 1 Femke Kok of the Netherlands, Japan’s Yoshida Yukino, currently ranked No. 2, and the United States’ Erin Jackson, ranked No. 3.  <br>    <br> “In the 500 meters, the smallest mistake can cost you everything,” Lee said. “It’s frustrating if I can’t perform the way I’ve trained. All of my competitors are strong, so I need to be even better prepared. When the races are done, I want to wave the Korean flag with pride.”  <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>

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