Korea Exits Team Skating, Triumphs in Curling
The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are underway, and today has seen both disappointments and triumphs for Korea. The figure skating events on February 7 revealed significant shortcomings for the Korean team.
Korea’s Figure Skating Results
Korea struggled in the figure skating competition, failing to advance in the men’s singles and ice dance events. The team finished seventh with 14 points, not qualifying for the free programs as only the top five teams progressed.
- Cha Jun-hwan ranked eighth in the men’s short program, earning 83.53 points.
- The ice dance duo of Hannah Lim and Quan Ye finished with four points.
- Shin Ji-a scored seven points in the women’s singles event.
The absence of a pairs team contributed to Korea’s challenges. Cha’s performance included a missed double axel, which hindered the team’s overall score.
Curling Advances
In contrast, Korean athletes found success in curling. The mixed doubles team of Kim Seon-yeong and Jeong Yeong-seok secured a thrilling victory against the United States, finishing 6-5 in an extra end.
- Korea had previously lost to the Czech Republic 9-4, bringing their loss streak to five.
- Despite this victory, Korea remains at the bottom of the round-robin standings with one win and five losses, tied with the Czech Republic.
Currently, Britain leads the competition with seven consecutive wins, followed by Italy, the United States, and Sweden. Korea is scheduled to face Estonia later today.
Medal Highlights
In other notable Olympic events, the first gold medal of the games was awarded in alpine skiing to Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland for the men’s downhill race held at Stelvio Ski Centre.
Meanwhile, Francesca Lollobrigida from Italy won the women’s 3,000-meter event on her birthday, setting an Olympic record with a time of 3:54.28.
As the Olympics progress, Korea aims to improve its performance in upcoming events, particularly in curling and figure skating.
