"If they catch fire today, the 500m will be a lock"... Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun tipped for a huge upset in the 1000m [2026 Milan]

[Financial News] The warm-up is over. Now it is time to own the ice.
The present and future of Korean speed skating, the "old and new queens of the ice," are ready to light up the night in Milan. Their ultimate goal is to conquer their main event, the 500m. But before that, in the 1000m, they look poised to spring a "surprise medal" and pull off a major shock.
Kim Min-sun (Uijeongbu City Hall) and Lee Na-hyun (Korea National Sport University) will both compete in the women’s 1000m at 1:30 a.m. on the 10th (Korea time) at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium. It will be South Korea’s first medal hunt on the ice, with national pride on the line.
In truth, their main battlefield is the 500m, which will be held on the 15th and 16th. Even so, experts unanimously warn that this 1000m race should not be dismissed as just a "fitness check" or a simple "warm-up."


In the sprint distance of 500m, the mood and momentum on the day decide almost everything. If they get close to the podium in the less pressured 1000m, or even snatch a surprise medal, that explosive upswing in confidence will carry straight into the 500m. In other words, this 1000m is the most crucial dress rehearsal for a potential "golden finale."
The key storyline is the "friendly rivalry" between the two skaters. Now entering her third Olympics, Kim Min-sun is no longer just a "prospect." She topped the world rankings last season. Although she briefly dipped in form early this season after changing her training methods, she fully rediscovered her level by winning medals at last month’s World Cup. "I don’t need any more experience. All that’s left is to prove myself," she declared.


Joining her is "monster rookie" Lee Na-hyun. At last month’s National Men’s and Women’s Sprint Championships, Lee stunned observers by beating Kim Min-sun to take first place. This teenage skater has been smashing her personal bests at a frightening pace, and she seems unfazed by the supposed pressure of the Olympic stage.
Since Kim Yoon-man’s silver medal at the 1992 Albertville Games, Korean speed skating has consistently been one of the country’s most reliable medal sports. After a brief lull following Lee Sang-hwa’s retirement, Korean women’s sprinting is knocking on the door of the world’s summit again, led by the powerful two-top of Kim Min-sun and Lee Na-hyun.
If they explode in the 1000m, the 500m could be as good as theirs. The charge of these two queens across the silver ice of Milan is about to begin. Tonight, it may be hard for South Korea to sleep.

jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter