‘New ice queen’ Kim Min-sun (24, Government Complex, Seoul) has switched skates and is in great shape ahead of her international competitions in the 2023-2024 season.
Kim took first place in the women’s general category 500 meters with a time of 38.05 seconds on the first day of the 54th Chairman’s Cup National Men’s and Women’s Speed Skating Competition at Taereung Ice Center in Seoul.
While the time was short of her personal best (36.96 seconds), it was not bad considering it was at the Taereung Ice Center.
The Taereung Ice Center has poor facilities and poor ice quality, so the results are not as good as at major ice centers in other countries.
Kim’s performance was especially noteworthy considering that she had recently changed her skate shoes.
Athletes usually replace their old shoes every two to three years, and during the changeover season, their personal records tend to drop due to the adjustment process.
“Kim Min-sun changed her skating shoes before the start of this season,” Uijeongbu City Hall head coach Jegal Sung-ryul told Yonhap, “because she thought it was the right time for her to perform her best at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo.”
“I was worried at first, but she adapted quickly,” he said. “Especially when you compete in new shoes, the angle of your foot can be very subtle and change, which can cause your performance to drop, but she did a great job under these conditions.”
“We expect Kim to perform even better in the new season of international competitions once she has fully adapted to the new shoes.”
Kim is one of the world’s top sprinters, having swept the women’s 500-meter gold medals at the International Ice Skating Union (ISU) World Cup from the first to the fifth edition last season.
She also won the women’s 500 meters at the fourth ISU World Cup 2022-2023 in December with a blazing time of 36.96 seconds.
After checking her physical condition and new shoes, Kim will compete in the first round of the 2023-2024 ISU Speedskating World Cup in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan, on Tuesday to continue her hunt for international medals in the new season.
Meanwhile, in the men’s general category 500 meters held on the same day, Cho Sang-hyuk (Sportsoto) won in 35.49 seconds. 먹튀검증