BEIJING– Though he didn’t initially qualify for the Beijing Winter Olympics, South Korean speed skater Park Seong-hyeon believed all along that he would get his shot.
He didn’t earn a quota place after the conclusion of the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup season, but based on his performances in the men’s 1,500m, Park was the first alternate in case of a last-minute opening.
And that opening materialized on Jan. 21, only weeks before the start of Beijing 2022. The ISU informed the Korea Skating Union (KSU) that an extra spot became available in the men’s 1,500m and that Park would be the one to fill it.
With two days of on-ice training in Beijing in the books, Park, 22, said Wednesday it is finally dawning on him that he will be skating in the Olympics for the first time.
“I think it will hit me even harder once I attend the opening ceremony (on Friday),” Park said after an hour-long session at the National Speed Skating Oval. “I knew there was at least a slight chance that I would get into the Olympics. And when I finally got the call, I was so excited.”
Park’s main events have been the 500m and 1,000m. Right after the World Cup season ended, Park started gearing up for those two short distance races at a local competition. And once the Olympic call came, Park had to ramp back up for the 1,500m.
“It’s been a bit of a challenge physically,” Park said of the sudden shift in his preparation. “But I’ve been posting pretty good times in the 1,500 (during training). I am going in with some confidence in myself.”
Having a fellow 22-year-old by his side has also helped Park. He and Kim Min-seok are the only 1999 births on the men’s team, and they have been leaning on each other in the leadup to the Olympics.
“We’ve been really good friends. The past couple of days here, we went through our speed drills together,” Park said. “We try to have each other’s back on the ice.”
Kim has been a far more accomplished skater of the two, having bagged a bronze in the 1,500m and a silver in the team pursuit at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Park said Kim has been giving him tips about how to handle the Olympic pressure, among other things.
“I tend to post better times in competition than in practice,” Park said. “I’d like to set a new personal best here, or at least get close to it.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency