"Was I nervous?" "I'm excited". Kang heart spectator ranked 10th in 1000m... "My goal for 500m is to be on the podium" [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

Ko Kyung-min (21), a speed skating sprint hopeful who made her Olympic debut, vowed to do well for the rest of the year.

In the men's 1,000m speed skating competition at the '2026 Milan-Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics' held at Milan Speed Skating Stadium in Italy on the 12th (Korea time), Ko ranked 10th with a time of 1:08:53. It is a record that falls 0.74 seconds in his best time of 1:07.79.

According to Newsis, Gu Gyeong-min, who met in the joint coverage area (Mix Zone) after the game, said, "I think I rode as well as I prepared. I'm also satisfied with the record," he said.

"It was different from other international competitions," he said of how he felt when he stood at the starting line. "It was a new feeling," he said. "I could feel that it was a real Olympics. It was the first time I played in such a loud shout," he said.

At the same time, he said, "I wasn't nervous," and added, "I'm not usually nervous. I was rather excited," he said with a smile.

The Milan Speed Skating Stadium, where the games were held, is a makeshift stadium. It is new for all players as there are no test events due to the delay in construction. "It is true that there was a feeling of ringing under the ice because it was made of wood, but I practiced a lot, so I adjusted to it," Go Kyung-min said. "I think the ice quality is better than when I first came."

On the 15th, the spectators will run their first Olympic second race in the men's 500m. He said, "My goal is to stand on the podium. I will prepare hard as I did and produce good results," he said.

Meanwhile, Kim Min-seok, a former member of the Korean national team and naturalized to Hungary, ranked 11th with a time of 1:08:59. Kim Min-seok reportedly did not respond to the reporters' request for an interview after the game.

Jordan Stoltz, the "ice monster" of the U.S., won the gold medal in a new Olympic record of 1:06.28. Stoltzga moved 0.9 seconds ahead of the previous Olympic record of 1:07.18 set by Gerard van Felder of the Netherlands at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. Stoltz aims to win four gold medals at this Olympics by participating in the 500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m, as well as mass start, where long-distance athletes usually compete.

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*This content was translated by AI.