In a strong showing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, South Korean speed skater Lee Na-hyun secured 10th place in the women's 500-meter event, marking her second top-10 finish of the Games. Competing at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium in Milan on Sunday, the 20-year-old clocked a time of 37.86 seconds, finishing 0.59 seconds behind Japan's Miho Takagi, who claimed the bronze medal.
Lee, making her Olympic debut, had previously placed ninth in the 1,000 meters earlier in the competition. Her performance in the 500 meters highlighted both promise and areas for improvement: she recorded the eighth-fastest start with 10.47 seconds over the first 100 meters, but her closing 27.39 seconds was the slowest among the top 10 finishers.
The race took place amid the excitement of the Winter Olympics in Milan, with Lee representing Korea on the international stage. Her consistent top-10 results underscore her potential as a rising star in speed skating, especially notable for a first-time Olympian.
Fellow Korean competitor Kim Min-sun, a three-time Olympian, also took part in the event but finished in 14th place with a time of 38.01 seconds. Kim struggled from the outset, posting a slow start of 10.61 seconds to the 100-meter mark, which ultimately hindered her overall performance.
Lee Na-hyun's effort in the women's 500 meters adds to Korea's presence in speed skating at these Olympics, where the discipline has long been a stronghold for the nation. Her 10th-place finish reflects determination on the ice at Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
As the Milan-Cortina Games continue, Lee's back-to-back top-10 results position her as one to watch in future events, building on her debut experiences in the 1,000 meters and now the 500 meters.
