Short Track Speed Skating

A winter ice sport in which multiple skaters race simultaneously on a 111.12m track, and a reliable medal source in which South Korea holds the world's strongest position.

Short Track Speed Skating

Overview

Short Track Speed Skating is a winter ice sport in which 4 to 7 skaters start simultaneously on a short oval track 111.12m in length and compete for ranking by the order in which they cross the finish line. Unlike long track speed skating, which is a one-on-one race against the clock, contact between skaters, overtaking, and jockeying for position serve as the core variables of the race. It was introduced as a demonstration event at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and was adopted as an official event starting with the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics. South Korea has won one of the world's highest numbers of Olympic medals in this event and has long been called a "reliable medal source."

Main Content

Competition Format and Rules

It is governed by the International Skating Union (ISU), and the track consists of 28.85m straights and curves with a radius of 8m. The official Olympic events are the men's and women's 500m, 1000m, and 1500m, the men's 5000m relay, the women's 3000m relay, and the mixed 2000m relay added starting at the 2022 Beijing Games. At the World Championships, a 3000m (women's) and 5000m (men's) super final is sometimes held to determine the overall individual ranking. Moving before the start signal results in disqualification for a false start, and impeding another skater's path, leaving the track, or dangerous hand contact are grounds for disqualification. Judgments are made through a combination of visual decisions by the referees and video review.

Equipment and Safety

Short track skates have shorter blades and greater curvature than long track skates, and highly rigid boots firmly secure the ankle. The tip of the left-hand glove has a special coating that increases friction when touching the ice, and skaters wear a helmet, knee pads, shin guards, and a neck guard. To prevent injuries from blades, protective equipment made of bulletproof fiber (Kevlar) is commonly used.

Technique and Strategy

The core of short track is cornering and overtaking. Representative techniques include the "inside" approach, in which the body is lowered extremely to withstand centrifugal force while taking the shortest path, and the "outside" overtaking move, in which the skater swings wide while maintaining speed to pass ahead. A common strategy is to conserve rank in the early stages and build strength from behind, then increase the sprint in the final 2 to 3 laps, and in relays, acceleration is gained through a "push" in which a teammate pushes a teammate's rear. In recent years, precise race management that simultaneously demands stamina distribution, line control, and checking opponents has decided victories.

Major Countries and Star Athletes

South Korea, China, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, and the United States are the traditional powers. South Korea has produced many Olympic medalists, including Chun Lee-kyung, Ahn Hyun-soo, Jin Sun-yu, Lee Jung-su, Shim Suk-hee, Choi Min-jeong, Hwang Dae-heon, and Kim Gil-li. China counts Wang Meng and Wu Dajing as representative athletes, while the Netherlands counts Suzanne Schulting. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, South Korea proved its strength by winning the men's 1500m gold medal through Hwang Dae-heon, the women's 1500m gold medal through Choi Min-jeong, and the women's 3000m relay gold medal, among others.

International Competition System

The ISU World Cup series is held multiple times each season, with Olympic qualification and world ranking points at stake, and the annual World Championships, Four Continents Championships, European Championships, and World Junior Championships are also operated. In Asia, the Winter Asian Games and the Asian Championships are major stages.

Latest Trends

In the 2024-2025 season, as the ISU World Cup's competition structure and qualification allocation method were reorganized, competition among the top ranks became fierce from the beginning of the season. Ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, each country began generational change and power checks, and South Korea has both emerging athletes such as Kim Gil-li and Jang Sung-woo and veterans such as Choi Min-jeong and Hwang Dae-heon in place, aiming for generational change and results at the same time. At the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games, South Korea swept a large number of short track gold medals, reaffirming its stature as Asia's strongest. Video review systems and measurement technology to reduce judging controversies are becoming more sophisticated, and safety regulations to prevent collisions are also trending toward strengthening. While the Netherlands, China, and Canada continue to show strength, Hungary, Italy, Japan, and others are chasing, diversifying the medal competition, and the expansion of mixed events such as the mixed relay is continuing.