"Lin Xiaojun (Im Hyojun) is Chinese now, don't care about Korea anymore"... No medal humiliation → Still praise 'Chinese hero' [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

China's short track team accepted the report card that it was a no-medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, but local fans are showing constant trust and support for Lin Xiaojun (30, Korean name Lim Hyo-jun).

Lin Xiaojun ended the competition by eliminating from the men's 500m short track quarterfinal at the Milan Ice Skating Arena on the 19th (Korea Standard Time).

Lin Xiaojun, who had previously failed to cross the quarterfinal threshold in the men's 1,000m and 1,500m, bowed his head without reaching even the semifinals in all individual events in this competition. Lin Xiaojun's return to the Olympics ended empty-handed with a humiliating report card, as the exclusion of the mixed relay final list and the elimination of the men's 5,000m relay semifinals overlapped.

In this regard, Chinese media 'Sina Sports' said, "At this Olympics, the Chinese short track team exposed the problem of excessive dependence on naturalized athletes," adding, "We poured enormous resources and opportunities into naturalized stars, but lost one important game after another." The naturalized athletes did not win a single medal."

"Lin Xiaojun has completely lost his past mettle due to injuries at the age of 30," the media said. "At the time of the decision to naturalize, he risked everything in the Milan Olympics until he missed the 2022 Beijing Olympics due to a three-year rule, but the risk of gambling has been completely realized."

However, contrary to the harsh analysis of the media, the public sentiment of Chinese fans is strongly supportive of Lin Xiaojun. In the comments section of "Sina Sports," fans said, "Lin Xiaojun has already won many medals in China. We must not forget our contribution," Lim Hyo-jun is now a complete Chinese. Comments such as "Don't care about Korea anymore" gained high sympathy.

In particular, one netizen said, "Lin Xiaojun is a player who will go down in Chinese short track history. We have to remember who gave us the only gold medal at the last Harbin Winter Asian Games," he said.

Lin Xiaojun represented South Korea at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and won the men's 1500m gold and men's 500m bronze, but was disciplined for an incident during training in 2019 and chose to naturalize in China in June 2020.

In response, China's Sohu Dotcom said, "Lin Xiaojun was treated and oppressed unfairly in Korea, and Korea abandoned him. Lin Xiaojun, who was kicked out of Korea, said, "I feel true brotherhood and warmth in China," adding, "In particular, the moment when he sang the Chinese national volunteer army march with the Harbin Asian Games gold medal around his neck in February, symbolized that he was reborn as a true Chinese."

In addition, the media added, "Lin Xiaojun showed his fighting spirit on the Olympic stage after rehabilitation despite the ordeal," adding, "Although he failed to hunt for medals in this competition, Lin Xiaojun's brotherhood, leadership and excellent skating skills within the team are still highly regarded."

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*This content was translated by AI.