Showcases his dominance at the Short Track World Cup
Wins head-to-head against Lin Xiaojun in the semifinals
After a one-year absence from the national team, Hwang Dae-heon (pictured) showed he's back with a bang by winning gold in his return to the international stage. He did so against Chinese naturalized player Lin Xiaojun (Korean name Lim Hyo-joon).
Hwang topped the men's Final A 1500m final in 2 minutes, 23.66 seconds at the first International Ice Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Cup of the 2023-2024 season in Montreal, Canada, on Feb. 22. Hwang, who won gold in the event at last year's Beijing Winter Olympics, took the 2022-2023 season off from the national team to focus on rehabilitating a back injury. The World Cup is his first international competition since returning to the national team.
Hwang and Lin Xiaojun met in the semifinals. This is the first time the two players have faced each other in an international tournament since Lin was naturalized in China. The former South Korean international was naturalized in China a month after allegations surfaced that he sexually harassed Hwang Dae-heon during training at the Jincheon Athletes' Village in 2019 and was found guilty by the first instance court in May 2020. Lin Xiaojun was acquitted by the Supreme Court. The two competed in heat two of the semifinals and Lin Xiaozhun took the lead early in the race, but Hwang Dae-heon made a late spurt to take the lead. Lin Xiaojun tired in the final lap and dropped to third place, missing out on the final.
Sting Desmert (BEL) finished second and Linis Verzins (LAT) third in the Final A 1500m final. Kim Gun-woo (South Korea) finished fourth with Hwang Dae-heon. 스포츠토토맨