South Korean short track skater Hwang Dae-heon secured silver in the men's 1,500m at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He finished second behind the Netherlands' Jens van 't Wout, adding to his 1,500m medal from four years ago. Despite injuries, his journey to the podium has been inspiring.
At the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on February 14, 2026, Hwang Dae-heon won silver in the men's 1,500m short track speed skating final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The 13 1/2-lap race featured nine skaters, including fellow South Korean Shin Dong-min. Hwang capitalized on space in the latter stages to secure second place behind the Netherlands' Jens van 't Wout.
A three-time Olympian, Hwang now has four Olympic medals with this achievement. His career has included a first medal as a teenager in 2018, followed by a legal dispute with former teammate Lim Hyo-jun. He faced criticism from fans for frequent fouls that injured teammate Park Ji-won in international races. A knee injury in November 2025 threatened his preparations, but he arrived in Milan improving.
After the victory ceremony, Hwang said with a smile, "I actually love accessories, and it would have been nice to have won a gold medal here. This silver medal is still very precious to me. I am proud of standing where I am today after all that I've gone through. I want to also thank my teammates for trusting me and helping me get here."
On the race, he noted, "This didn't catch me by surprise because we had 10 finalists in Beijing. I just had to spend a lot of time analyzing the latest trends in short track and devise my strategies accordingly. I think I was able to execute my plans the way I wanted."
In the 2025-2026 ISU World Cup season, Hwang earned one silver and one bronze, not positioning him as a top medal contender. He reflected, "I went through so many trials and errors during the World Cup season, and they forced me to go back to the drawing board. The work I put in behind the scenes allowed me to get to this spot. And I wanted to trust myself even more than usual and make sure I wouldn't fear anything."
Upcoming events include the men's 500m and 5,000m relay, where he plans to continue treatment and stay focused.
