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| Korea competes during the PyeongChang Winter Games men's team pursuit speed skating quarterfinals at the Gangneung Oval, Sunday. From left are Kim Min-seok, Chung Jae-won and Lee Seung-hoon / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Kim Hyun-bin
South Korea advanced to the semi-finals of the men's team pursuit after beating third-ranked Italy at the Gangneung Oval, Sunday.
The three-man team came in first out of eight countries clocking in at 3:39.29 followed by the Netherlands at 3:40.03 and Norway at 3:40:09.
The three teams and fourth-placed New Zealand will compete in the semifinals, Feb. 21.
South Korea is scheduled to face New Zealand in the semi-finals while the Netherlands will take on Norway. Winners of the two face-offs will meet in the final on the same day.
The South Korean team was led by a three time Olympic medalist Lee Seung-hoon. The other two members are Kim Min-seok, who won bronze in the men's 1,500 meter, and Chung Jae-won.
The team pursuit competition is one of seven speed skating events. Two teams consisting of three athletes each start out on the opposite sides of the oval and have to complete eight laps together. The winning team is decided after the last skater crosses the finish line.
South Korea's men's team pursuit has a stout roster and is one of the favorites to win gold at the event.
Lee led the team in the 2014 Sochi Olympics and claimed silver for Korea. He also finished fifth in the men's 5,000 meter and fourth in men's 10,000 meter in this year's Winter Games.
Kim Min-seok is the first Asian skater to make the podium for the men's 1,500 meter at Pyeongchang.
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