The Olympic spirit of overcoming the limits we face continues to shine during the 2014 Sochi Paralympics. About 1,000 people, including athletes and staff from 45 countries, are participating in the games, being held in Sochi, Russia, from March 8 to 17.
Korea sent its largest delegation to these Paralympics, consisting of 27 athletes and 30 staff. Korean athletes will compete in four disciplines: cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling, ice sledge hockey and alpine skiing.
Team Korea’s first good news came from the ice sledge hockey rink. The team came from behind to win 3-2 in the match against Russia at the Shayba Arena on March 9. Russia scored twice early on but Korea’s Han Min-Su changed the mood by making it even. Korea beat Russia in overtime and got its first victory. On March 10, however, the Korean team lost to the U.S., one of the top ice sledge hockey teams in the world. In the match against Italy, Korea’s Jung Seung-Hwan scored the first goal, but the team ended up losing by 2-1 in the end.
In wheelchair curling, Korea beat the U.S. 9-5 on March 9 after losing its initial match against Norway the day prior. The team later lost its following matches against Russia, the U.K. and China. The wheelchair curling team defeated Slovakia 7-4 on March 11 and will have another match on March 12 against the Canadian team, which won gold in the two previous Winter Paralympics.
In alpine skiing, Park Jong-seork placed 12th in the men’s downhill, sitting, event at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on March 8. Park set a personal best of 1 minute and 37.61 seconds. He is the oldest athlete on Team Korea and is a three-time Paralympian, having participated in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Paralympics in Torino and Vancouver. He competed in the men’s super-G, sitting, event on March 9 and the men's super combined, sitting, race on March 11. He will participate in the men’s giant slalom, sitting, race on March 15.
Choi Bogue and Seo Vo Ra Mi will show the world what they got during the cross-country skiing events. Choi will participate in the men's 1-kilometer sprint, visually impaired, on March 12 and the men's 10-kilometer, visually impaired, on March 16. He joined the national team only in September last year. Despite his short career as an athlete, Choi received a wild card entry into the event, awarded by the International Paralympic Committee.
In the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, Seo became the first female Korean athlete to participate in cross-country skiing. Seo also took part in the torch relay prior to the opening of the Sochi Paralympics. She will compete in the women's 1-kilometer sprint, sitting, on March 12 and the 5-kilometer sprint, sitting, on March 16.
During these Paralympics, Korea will promote the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics. A special public relations facility, dubbed “PyeongChang House,” which closed on February 23 at the end of the Olympics, reopened on March 7 in the Olympic Park in Sochi, the day of the opening ceremony. It will be open until March 16, promoting the PyeongChang Games to all of Sochi’s athletes, journalists and visitors.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr
Korea sent its largest delegation to these Paralympics, consisting of 27 athletes and 30 staff. Korean athletes will compete in four disciplines: cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling, ice sledge hockey and alpine skiing.
Team Korea’s first good news came from the ice sledge hockey rink. The team came from behind to win 3-2 in the match against Russia at the Shayba Arena on March 9. Russia scored twice early on but Korea’s Han Min-Su changed the mood by making it even. Korea beat Russia in overtime and got its first victory. On March 10, however, the Korean team lost to the U.S., one of the top ice sledge hockey teams in the world. In the match against Italy, Korea’s Jung Seung-Hwan scored the first goal, but the team ended up losing by 2-1 in the end.
Athletes celebrate their victory after winning the ice sledge hockey match against Russia on March 9. (photo: Yonhap News)
Korean athletes (left) during the wheelchair curling match between Korea and U.S. on March 9. Korea won its first victory against the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Korean Sports for the Disabled)
In wheelchair curling, Korea beat the U.S. 9-5 on March 9 after losing its initial match against Norway the day prior. The team later lost its following matches against Russia, the U.K. and China. The wheelchair curling team defeated Slovakia 7-4 on March 11 and will have another match on March 12 against the Canadian team, which won gold in the two previous Winter Paralympics.
In alpine skiing, Park Jong-seork placed 12th in the men’s downhill, sitting, event at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on March 8. Park set a personal best of 1 minute and 37.61 seconds. He is the oldest athlete on Team Korea and is a three-time Paralympian, having participated in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Paralympics in Torino and Vancouver. He competed in the men’s super-G, sitting, event on March 9 and the men's super combined, sitting, race on March 11. He will participate in the men’s giant slalom, sitting, race on March 15.
Choi Bogue and Seo Vo Ra Mi will show the world what they got during the cross-country skiing events. Choi will participate in the men's 1-kilometer sprint, visually impaired, on March 12 and the men's 10-kilometer, visually impaired, on March 16. He joined the national team only in September last year. Despite his short career as an athlete, Choi received a wild card entry into the event, awarded by the International Paralympic Committee.
In the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, Seo became the first female Korean athlete to participate in cross-country skiing. Seo also took part in the torch relay prior to the opening of the Sochi Paralympics. She will compete in the women's 1-kilometer sprint, sitting, on March 12 and the 5-kilometer sprint, sitting, on March 16.
Seo Vo Ra Mi poses for photos while holding the Paralympic torch. She took part in the torch relay prior to the opening ceremony of the Sochi Paralympics on March 8. (photo courtesy of the Korean Sports for the Disabled)
During these Paralympics, Korea will promote the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics. A special public relations facility, dubbed “PyeongChang House,” which closed on February 23 at the end of the Olympics, reopened on March 7 in the Olympic Park in Sochi, the day of the opening ceremony. It will be open until March 16, promoting the PyeongChang Games to all of Sochi’s athletes, journalists and visitors.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr
Team Korea enters the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Sochi Paralympics on March 8. (photos courtesy of the Korean Sports for the Disabled)