Winter Olympics: S. Korea target speed skating titles

South Korea will try to add two gold medals in the final speed skating events at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Saturday.

Lee Seung-hoon and Kim Bo-reum are scheduled to compete in the semi-finals of the men's and women's mass start speed skating events respectively, at the Gangneung Oval. The finals will also take place later that day, reports Yonhap news agency.

In mass start events, athletes compete in a 16-lap, free-for-all race around a 400m track with no designated lanes. PyeongChang marks the debut of the event at the Olympics.

Lee, who won silver in the men's team pursuit on Wednesday, finished first in the International Skating Union Mass Start World Cup in December. Kim won three gold medals and two bronze in her 2016-2017 ISU mass start competitions.

Kim Magnus will compete in the men's 50km cross-country mass start classic event at the Alpensia Cross-Country Centre.

Born to a Norwegian father and a Korean mother, the 19-year-old is one of South Korea's top cross-country skiing prospects. He won two gold medals at the 2016 Youth Winter Games and another gold at the 2017 Asian Winter Games.

Alpine skiers Jung Dong-hyun and Kim Dong-woo will compete in the alpine team event at Yongpyong Alpine Centre.

The two have suffered from injuries of late and have been taking painkillers to compete in the Winter Games in their home country.

South Korean alpine snowboarder Lee Sang-ho will compete in the men's parallel giant slalom qualifier event at Phoenix Snow Park. The event was originally slated for Thursday but was delayed due to inclement weather.

--IANS

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