Home > Sports > Olympic Sports

Speed skater Kim Jun-ho glides into the sunset without Olympic medal — or regrets

Published: 15 Feb. 2026, 11:06

Korea’s Kim Jun-ho competes in the men’s 500-meter speed skating event at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 14. [YONHAP]

MILAN — Korea’s sprint speed skating standout Kim Jun-ho likely closed out his Olympic career without capturing a medal. Still, the veteran said he leaves the stage with “no regrets” after completing what appears to have been his final race at the Winter Games.

The 30-year-old finished 12th in the men’s 500 meters on Saturday at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium, clocking 34.78 seconds among a field of 29 competitors at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Afterward, Kim suggested his Olympic journey had come to an end.

“There probably won’t be a next Games for me,” he said. “I hope the younger skaters do even better than I did and win medals.”

Kim made his Olympic debut at Sochi 2014, placing 21st. He improved to 12th at PyeongChang 2018 and finished sixth at Beijing 2022, narrowly missing the podium despite high expectations for a medal.

Known for his explosive starts, Kim captured gold at a World Cup event in November last year, blazing through the 100-meter split in 9.39 seconds. In Milan, however, he posted a slower 9.56-second opening and trailed his racing partner, Gao Tingyu of China, off the line. The race day was marked by multiple false starts in earlier pairings, and Kim also appeared slightly unsettled at the start. Still, he did not offer excuses.

“It was the same environment for everyone, and I prepared well,” he said.

Although he approached Milan with the possibility that it would be his final Olympics, victory on the sport’s biggest stage proved elusive.

Korea’s Kim Jun-ho competes in the men’s 500-meter speed skating event at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 14. [NEWS1]

“I have no regrets about the race. I was happy,” Kim said. “I think I skated without regrets, and that makes me feel good. I’m sorry that the result didn’t live up to the support I received. But I prepared hard, and after accepting the result, I felt happy.”

Kim acknowledged the toll of the past year.

“I endured so much pain and hardship over the last year,” he said. “To challenge for another Olympics again feels a bit daunting. The current ‘Kim Jun-ho’ is at his peak. The summit I was aiming for wasn’t that high — now there’s nowhere higher to climb.”

Though he tried to maintain a calm, bright expression throughout the interview, Kim grew emotional when speaking about his parents.

“They supported me tirelessly for 24 years,” he said. “I feel so sorry that I couldn’t achieve a result that repaid their efforts.”

Asked what he would say to himself after 24 years as an athlete, Kim smiled.

“I’d tell myself I worked so hard,” he said. “There were injuries, slumps, sadness and joy. I’m grateful to myself for enduring all that.”

Korea’s Kim Jun-ho checks the results after competing in the men’s 500-meter speed skating event at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 14. [NEWS1]

This season marked several milestones for Kim. Reflecting on his most memorable moment, he pointed to the 2025–26 campaign, during which he set a new Korean record in the 500 meters (33.78 seconds) and earned another Olympic berth.

“It would be amazing to become an Olympic medalist,” he said. “But in some ways, being an Olympian itself is something special. That’s why this season stands out the most.”

Though his own races are over, Kim expressed gratitude to fans and voiced support for his teammates.

“Thank you to everyone who stayed up late to watch,” he said. “There’s medal potential in the men’s and women’s mass start events. I hope you continue to support speed skating through the end.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM HYO-KYUNG [[email protected]]