Moon Woonjun Misses Olympic Semifinal Despite Strong Performance Due to Judges’ Decisions
During the Olympic Games, short track speed skating events highlighted a strong performance by athlete Moon Woonjun. Competing in the men’s 1000 meters, Woonjun advanced from the preliminary heats as the only representative from his national team. However, he faced elimination in the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal Highlights
Woonjun was placed in the second quarterfinal heat. He strategically held fifth position until the last three laps, eventually moving up to fourth. In a close finish, he claimed third place behind South Korea’s Sin Mindong, finishing with a time of 1:23.998.
Although this time was the fastest among all third-place finishers, Woonjun did not advance to the semifinals. Two quarterfinals were adjusted by judges, ultimately leading to his exit. Reflecting on his performance, Woonjun stated he didn’t consider himself unlucky, but rather acknowledged his own mistakes for not securing a higher position.
Liu Shaoang’s Journey
Another notable competitor, Liu Shaoang, who previously represented Hungary, advanced further than Woonjun. However, he too was unable to progress past the semifinals, finishing third in his heat. A Canadian competitor’s stumble disrupted his rhythm, relegating him to the B final.
In the B final, Liu demonstrated exceptional skill and claimed victory, earning him an Olympic sixth-place finish.
Men’s 1000-Meter Final Results
Canadian athlete William Dandjinou emerged as a strong contender in the men’s 1000-meter final. He battled with Dutch skater Jens van ‘T Wout for the lead. The race dynamics shifted constantly, but in the final lap, Dandjinou suffered a setback when he was pinched in as Chinese skater Sun Lung approached at high speed.
Ultimately, van ‘T Wout clinched the gold, Sun secured silver, and South Korea’s Rim Dzsongun took home bronze.
Women’s 500-Meter Final
In women’s 500 meters, Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer set an Olympic record of 41.583 seconds in the quarterfinals. She further improved this to a world record of 41.399 seconds in the semifinals, establishing herself as the frontrunner for the final.
The final encounter was marred by a false start due to a fall by another Dutch skater, Selma Poutsma. Upon resuming, Velzeboer quickly regained her lead. Italian legend Arianna Fontana struggled to keep pace, ultimately finishing second while maintaining her position against Canadian Courtney Sarault.
Fontana celebrated her thirteenth Olympic medal, following a gold win in the mixed relay earlier in the Games.
Conclusion
The Olympics showcased incredible talent and resilience in short track speed skating, highlighting moments of both triumph and disappointment for competitors like Moon Woonjun and Liu Shaoang.
