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Lee Seung-hun soars to Korea's first freeski gold in Harbin

Published: 08 Feb. 2025, 13:32 Updated: 08 Feb. 2025, 13:55

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Lee Seung-hun takes part in a freeski halfpipe training session during the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Yabuli, China on Feb. 7. [AFP/YONHAP]

Lee Seung-hun became the first Korean skier to capture a freeski gold medal at the Asian Winter Games on Saturday with his run in the men’s halfpipe final at Freeski Halfpipe Stadium in Yabuli, China.

Lee scored 97.5 points in the final, surpassing silver medalist Sheng Haipeng of China with 90.5 and Korean bronze medalist Moon Hee-sung with 88.5.

Lee’s gold medal marks Korea’s highest finish in a sport where the country had previously secured only one silver medal in the Asian Games.

Free skiing consists of multiple disciplines such as aerials, moguls, half-pipe and more. Half-pipe skiing occurs on a half-pipe — a structure used in gravity sports such as skateboarding and skiing.

Before Lee and Moon stood on the podium, Jang Yu-jin also won a bronze medal in the women’s freeski halfpipe final earlier on Saturday.

Saturday’s three medals bring Korea’s Asian Games medal count in freestyle skiing to four. The Korean skiers’ successes come on the second official day of this year’s Asiad, where the country has already claimed multiple medals across sports such as curling and short track speed skating as of press time.

Team Korea has traditionally been a serious contender in Asiad history, as the country sits in third place on the medal count behind Japan and China.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]