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Korean American short tracker Andrew Heo aims to be ‘up there with the top guys’

Published: 08 Feb. 2026, 12:46

Andrew Heo of the United States skates during the semifinal of the men's 500 meters at the Four Continents Championship short track speedskating event in Kearns, Utah, on Nov. 11, 2022. [AP/YONHAP]

He grew up watching Korean short track speed skaters and marveling at their brilliance. He was even coached by a Korean Olympic short track champion.

All these years later, Korean American short tracker Andrew Heo will now try to beat Korea at the Winter Olympics in northern Italy this month.

Heo will make his second Olympic appearance, following his debut in Beijing four years ago. Heo skated in the 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters and the 2,000-meter mixed relay, going home empty-handed. This time, he will race in the 500-meter, 1,500-meter and the 2,000-meter mixed relay, confident that he is "a faster skater now" than in 2022.

"I'm very capable of being up there with the top guys and the best in the world," Heo told Yonhap News Agency on Saturday after a training session with a couple of Korean skaters, Shim Suk-hee and Rim Jong-un, at a practice rink in the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan. "I can definitely be a good asset in the mixed relay as well. I think we're really looking forward to that."

Heo's confidence is well-founded. At the final International Skating Union Short Track World Tour stop of the season in the Netherlands in November of last year, Heo won the 500-meter title over the Canadian star William Dandjinou, who had won the three previous 500-meter gold medals on the World Tour. It was Heo's first individual podium finish at a World Tour event and also made him the first American man to win a major individual race in 11 years.

Andrew Heo of the United States competes during the mixed team relay quarterfinals at the ISU Short Track World Tour speed skating event in Gdansk, Poland on Nov. 20, 2025. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

The men's 500-meter has not been Korea's strong suit, but as the most successful country in Olympic short track history with 26 gold medals, Korea has produced four of the past five champions in the men's 1,500 meters.

On this year's Korean squad, Hwang Dae-heon will try to defend his 1,500-meter gold medal, while Rim Jong-un enjoyed a strong World Tour season in his first senior-level campaign at age 18.

Over the years, Heo has befriended several Korean skaters and said he was "really close with" former national team skater Park In-wook. Heo is not yet familiar with some of the names on the team in Milan, since many, including Rim, are new this season. But during Saturday's session, Heo was seen chatting with both Rim and Shim Suk-hee, a three-time Olympian with four medals to her credit. Heo also said he counts Choi Min-jeong, a three-time gold medalist, as a friend, too.

"I actually just started becoming friends with Suk-hee," Heo said. "I don't really know Jong-un, but we say hi to each other whenever we see each other at competitions."

Heo, once coached by the 1998 gold medalist Kim Dong-sung, said he left the Beijing Winter Games "with more motivation and desire to get an Olympic medal."

Andrew Heo of the United States, second from right, competes during the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on March 16, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

"I think just being there and seeing all those people that I know and that I'm friends with medaling, I'm like, 'Oh, I kind of want to be there,'" Heo said. "So I think that kind of carried into these last four years as I've been trying to get to the next Olympics, which is now. Everybody's super good right now. They're at their best shape and form right now. I think just knowing that how peaked everybody is going to be, I'm going to go into it and just try to be as focused as possible, so I can hopefully maybe get that medal."

Heo will pursue his first medal in front of his parents, Peter and Jennifer, who weren't able to travel to Beijing in 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Heo said it will be "honestly amazing" to have them in the stands.

"Just being able to do that, I think it is just going to be a dream come true for our family," Heo said. "They weren't able to be there in Beijing, so I know how much they really wanted to be here. We're all super happy, and I'm super happy that they're going to be able to be here. And it's going to be fun."

Heo recalled how his whole family started following Korean skaters more closely as soon as he got into the sport himself.

"They always have respect and admiration for the Korean skaters," he said of his parents. "They love all of them. Even at the World Tours, if I'm not in the race, they're always cheering for the Korean team."

And if Heo is up against Koreans with Olympic medals on the line?

"Let's say we're all on the podium together. I think [my parents] would really be happy about that," Heo said with a smile. "Whatever medal. Honestly, I don't have to get a gold. I think they would just be cheering for me."

Yonhap