Journalist

Jang Sun-a
  • Two South Korean cross-country skiers disqualified from Olympic sprint qualifying over banned fluorinated wax
    Two South Korean cross-country skiers disqualified from Olympic sprint qualifying over banned fluorinated wax Two South Korean athletes who competed in qualifying for the women’s sprint classic in cross-country skiing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics were disqualified after being found to have used a banned substance. Reuters reported on Tuesday (Korea time) that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, known as FIS, disqualified two South Korean women’s cross-country skiers after they tested positive for a prohibited substance in Olympic women’s sprint classic qualifying. The athletes were Han Da-som of Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Lee Ui-jin of the Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council. They finished 70th and 74th, respectively, in qualifying held Monday at the Tesero cross-country stadium in Italy and did not advance. After the race, however, a fluorine-wax test found a banned component, leading to disqualification regardless of their results. Fluorinated wax has been used on ski bases to reduce friction with snow, but concerns have grown about its main ingredient, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are considered harmful to the environment and human health. PFAS break down poorly in nature and can contaminate soil and groundwater, and studies have linked buildup in the body to higher health risks. FIS has banned fluorinated wax in all sanctioned competitions since the 2023-24 season. With portable infrared spectroscopy devices now in use, on-site detection is possible. This is the first Olympics held since the rule took full effect. Earlier, Japanese veteran snowboarder Shima Masaki was also disqualified after fluorinated wax was detected on his snowboard base following the first run of men’s parallel giant slalom qualifying.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 07:48:00
  • Ukrainian Skeleton Racer Vows to Wear War Victims Helmet Despite IOC Ban
    Ukrainian Skeleton Racer Vows to Wear War Victims Helmet Despite IOC Ban Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych said he plans to compete at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics wearing a “memorial helmet” honoring war victims, defying an International Olympic Committee decision barring it. Heraskevych spoke at a news conference near the Cortina Sliding Center on Tuesday, saying, “The sacrifice of the athletes who died is why we can be here competing as one team,” adding, “I can’t betray them.” He has trained in a helmet bearing images of 24 Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia and reiterated he intends to wear the same helmet on race day. “Right now I should be thinking about how to perform better and stay focused on the track, but instead I’m fighting for the right to wear this memorial helmet,” he said. Heraskevych drew attention during a training run on Sunday with the helmet. The IOC later told him it could not be used, saying it violates Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which bans political, religious or racial propaganda or demonstrations at Olympic venues and related sites. The IOC offered a compromise, saying it could allow a black mourning armband, but Heraskevych said he would not accept that alternative. Support for the athlete continued. Latvia coach Ivo Steinbergs attended the news conference and said backing has come from multiple countries. “If he is disqualified, we will take action, too,” he said. Ukrainian luger Olena Smahina wrote “Remembrance is not a Violation” on her gloves to show solidarity.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 06:06:00
  • Milan-Cortina Olympic organizers apologize after rough podium damages skates
    Milan-Cortina Olympic organizers apologize after rough podium damages skates The organizing committee for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics has issued an official apology after some athletes’ skate blades were damaged during the figure skating team event medal ceremony because of problems with the podium surface. The Associated Press reported that during the ceremony on Sunday, several skaters, including members of the gold medal-winning U.S. team such as ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates, had their blades damaged by the rough, anti-slip surface of the podium. Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who won silver in women’s singles, was also seen stepping off the podium and immediately checking her blades after celebrating with her medal. Japan’s delegation raised concerns about the podium surface and filed an official protest with organizers, who later promised corrective steps. Organizers said they will replace the podium surface to prevent a repeat. They also said they will provide blade-sharpening services and additional training sessions for medalists from the United States, Japan and Italy. “We apologize for the inconvenience this caused,” the committee said, adding that it reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the best possible competition environment for all athletes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 04:06:00
  • South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon finishes 24th in Olympic women’s singles luge, misses final run
    South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon finishes 24th in Olympic women’s singles luge, misses final run South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon of Gangwon Provincial Government, the nation’s only luge entrant, wrapped up her first Olympic schedule after three runs. Jeong posted a combined time of 2 minutes, 43.781 seconds through three heats in the women’s singles luge at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Tuesday at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. She ranked 24th out of 25 starters, missing the top 20 cutoff for the fourth and final run. Luge is raced lying back on a sled on an ice track, with speeds that can reach 150 kph. Line choice through corners and weight shifts can significantly affect times, and standings are determined by the combined results of four runs over two days. Jeong was 24th after the first two runs a day earlier. In her final run Tuesday, she managed the course steadily, building speed after the start and finishing without hitting the walls. Her top speed of 118.1 kph was her best of the competition, and her third-run time was her fastest of the three. Germany’s Julia Taubitz led the standings with a combined time of 2:37.918.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 02:36:00
  • Arianna Fontana Wins Gold at Sixth Olympics, Extends Record to 12 Medals
    Arianna Fontana Wins Gold at Sixth Olympics, Extends Record to 12 Medals Italian short track star Arianna Fontana added another Olympic gold, reaching the top of the podium at her sixth Games. Fontana led Italy to victory in the short track mixed 2,000-meter relay final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Monday at the Milan Ice Skating Arena. The gold brought her career Olympic total to 12 medals — three gold, four silver and five bronze — extending the short track record for most Olympic medals. Fontana made her Olympic debut at the 2006 Turin Games and has competed at every Olympics since: Vancouver in 2010, Sochi in 2014, Pyeongchang in 2018, Beijing in 2022 and now Milan-Cortina, giving her six straight Olympic appearances. She won a medal at age 15 in Turin to become Italy’s youngest Winter Olympic medalist. Now 35, she again reached the podium and became the first woman to win medals at six consecutive Olympics. “We went into the race with a clear goal,” Fontana said. “Before we stepped on the ice, we told each other, ‘This is our home, and we came to defend it,’ and we kept that promise.” Asked about the medals she has collected over the years, Fontana said each one means something different and she could not rank them. “The Games have just started, and there are still many races left,” she said. Fontana said the medal would be a boost for the rest of her schedule, signaling she is aiming for more.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 01:48:00
  • U.S. Blames Soft Ice After Crash With South Korea Ends Mixed Relay Medal Bid
    U.S. Blames Soft Ice After Crash With South Korea Ends Mixed Relay Medal Bid The U.S. short track team blamed “soft ice” after a series of falls and a collision in the first short track event of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, saying the conditions affected the mixed 2,000-meter relay and shook up the medal race. U.S. national team skater Andrew Heo, a Korean American, said after the mixed relay on Feb. 10 (Korea time) that the ice felt duller than what the team is used to. “With a lot of spectators, the temperature went up, and I think that made the ice dull,” he told reporters in the mixed zone. “If the ice is too soft, you can’t apply power properly,” Heo said. “I think that’s why there were a lot of falls.” In the mixed 2,000-meter relay semifinal, the United States was leading when Corinne Stoddard slipped in a corner and dropped as far as fourth, missing the final. Stoddard collided with South Korea’s Kim Gil-li of Seongnam City Hall, and both skaters went down on the track. South Korea crossed the line third, missing its chance to compete for a medal. The U.S. team had other shaky moments. In the quarterfinals, Stoddard also fell, but a chain collision among other skaters in the same heat helped the United States advance in second place. Another Korean American skater, Brandon Kim, also pointed to the ice. He said sharing the venue with figure skating appeared to make the surface different from other competitions. “Short track and figure skating need different ice, but it seems there wasn’t enough time to change it,” he said. “When the ice is hard, you’re stable in the corners, but when it’s soft, it’s difficult,” he said. “We can’t change the ice, so we just have to do our best.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 00:24:00
  • South Korea’s Lim Hae Na-Kwon Ye miss free dance at Milan-Cortina Olympics after rhythm dance
    South Korea’s Lim Hae Na-Kwon Ye miss free dance at Milan-Cortina Olympics after rhythm dance South Korea’s only ice dance entry at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Lim Hae Na and Kwon Ye, failed to advance past the rhythm dance, ending their first Olympic schedule. Lim and Kwon scored 64.69 points in the rhythm dance — 34.28 in technical elements and 30.41 in program components — in competition held Feb. 10 South Korea time. Well below their personal best of 76.02, they placed 22nd among 23 teams. Only the top 20 advanced to the free dance. It was their lowest score since debuting on the senior circuit in the 2022-23 season. They missed the cutoff by 0.29 points behind Sofia Val and Asaf Kazimov of Spain, who finished 20th. A mistake in the sequential twizzles proved costly when Kwon’s steps tangled and the rotation was not completed, leading to deductions. In the kiss-and-cry, Kwon bowed his head in visible disappointment after the score posted. Afterward in the mixed zone, Lim said, “It’s disappointing because there was a mistake, but overall I was happy,” adding, “Today the energy came through well, and our timing in the choreography was good, so I’m satisfied.” Describing the moments after the error, Lim said they made eye contact and told each other, “We can do it — let’s do the next elements better,” adding that he wanted to tell Kwon it was OK. “Our goal was to qualify for the Olympics, and I’m grateful just to have been on this stage,” Lim said. “Just the fact that we performed at the Olympics is overwhelming.” Kwon, who had cold symptoms ahead of the Games, said nerves also may have played a role. “The movements got out of sync. Honestly, I’m really disappointed,” he said, adding, “After the mistake, I did my best in the remaining sections.” Though they did not reach the free dance, both skaters said the experience mattered. “It was meaningful to perform in front of so many spectators,” Lim said. “I hope our emotions reached the fans.” Kwon said, “I was nervous, but the atmosphere was very impressive, and I tried to enjoy the moments I had left.” 2026-02-10 07:48:00
  • 18-year-old snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun wins women’s big air bronze at 2026 Milan Games
    18-year-old snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun wins women’s big air bronze at 2026 Milan Games * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 04:51:00
  • South Korea’s Lee Na Hyun places ninth in Olympic women’s 1,000 meters, targets 500 medal
    South Korea’s Lee Na Hyun places ninth in Olympic women’s 1,000 meters, targets 500 medal Lee Na Hyun of Korea National Sport University became the first South Korean to finish in the top 10 of the Olympic women’s 1,000 meters and said she will now focus on chasing a medal in her main event, the 500. After the race on Monday (Korea time), Lee said, “It wasn’t a perfect race, but I think I set a meaningful time,” adding, “If I prepare well, I think I can try for a medal in the 500.” Lee finished ninth in 1 minute, 15.76 seconds. The result surpassed the previous best South Korean finish in the women’s 1,000, 11th by Yoo Sun Hee at the 1992 Albertville Games. “I thought I could maybe get as high as seventh if things went well,” Lee said. “I didn’t reach my target place, but it’s still a meaningful result, so I’m satisfied.” Lee said she will use what she learned in the 1,000 to prepare for the women’s 500. “Looking at the times from competitions held here, the differences between skaters were big,” she said. “I thought a lot about what the ice would be like and how I should skate.” She added, “First I’ll go back into the athletes village, calm down, and watch today’s video to set a strategy” for the 500. Lee said watching her rivals also motivated her. “I learned a lot watching Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok,” she said. “It made me think I need to work harder, and my goal of standing on the podium became clearer.” In the race, Kok first took the lead with an Olympic record of 1:12.59, before Leerdam lowered it to 1:12.31 to win gold. Lee will compete in the women’s 500 on Feb. 16, aiming to contend for a medal.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 04:24:00
  • South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon sits 24th after two runs in Olympic women’s luge
    South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon sits 24th after two runs in Olympic women’s luge South Korea’s Jeong Hye-seon (Gangwon Provincial Government) ranked 24th after the first two runs of the women’s singles luge at her first Olympics. Jeong posted a combined time of 1 minute, 49.587 seconds in runs 1 and 2 on Monday morning (Korea time) at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. She was 24th among 25 competitors. Jeong earned her Olympic berth on her third attempt after being selected to the national team in 2014. At 31, she is competing in her first Olympics and is the only South Korean athlete entered in luge at these Games. Starting 18th in the first run, Jeong built speed off the start but lost balance in an early corner and hit the wall. She finished in 55.118 seconds, placing 25th. In the second run, she cut her time to 54.469 seconds but moved up only one spot. Jeong will skate runs 3 and 4 on Feb. 11 to determine the final standings. 2026-02-10 03:57:00