Ahn Hyun Soo was born in Seoul on November 23, 1985. He first skated in the first grade of school. In 2002, 16-year-old An won the World Junior Championship and, by decision of the head coach of the national team, went to the Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he failed to win a single medal. After the 2002 Olympics, An became a multiple world champion and came to the Olympic Games in Turin in 2006 as the leader of the national team. In Turin, Ahn wins three golds (1000, 1500 meters and relay), as well as bronze in the 500 meters.
Ahn Hyun Soo at the Turin Olympics
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In January 2008, Ahn crashed into a side during training, severely damaged his knee, and had to undergo four operations. As a result, at the qualifying competitions in 2009, he took only 9th place and did not make the Korean team for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. In 2010, he became 7th at the selection and again did not go to international competitions, this time to the World Championships. In December 2010, the Suwon City Hall team with which An trained was disbanded. The athlete tried, but was unable to find another team where he could train. In January 2011, the Russian national team proposed to Anu. Ahn promises to think, and in the meantime makes one last attempt to get into the South Korean Olympic team, but takes only fifth place in the qualifying competitions. Then the short speed skater, who has not been included in the Korean national team for 3 years, still decides to accept Russia’s offer, which guarantees a place in Sochi, good financial conditions and a position as a coach in the future. Commenting on his decision, Ahn said that his main goal was to win again at the Olympic Games, and “which country to win for is not of much importance to an athlete.”
It is worth noting that even during the period of success, Ahn’s life in Korea was not cloudless: he more than once found himself at the center of conflicts with his partners on the Korean national team and with the Korean Skating Union. For example, according to some publications, in January 2005, one of the members of the Korean national team (the eldest in age) allegedly beat Ahn. In April 2006, while returning from the World Championships, where Ahn won, his father Ahn Ki-won almost got into a fight with one of the officials from the Korean Skating Union. An's father claimed that officials were inciting other athletes to prevent An from winning. The unhealthy situation in the Korean team is already shown by the fact that in the final of one of the races of the 2006 Olympics, three Koreans were ahead, but in the end only one received a medal - Ahn, and the other two, in the fight for a higher medal, knocked each other down and were left without awards
Ahn himself, after renouncing Korean citizenship in favor of Russian (dual citizenship for men is prohibited in Korea), stated: “The spirit of protectionism and nepotism reigned in the Korean federation... This is one of the reasons for my leaving.”
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An says that after moving to Russia he took the name Victor, because... it means "winner" and is easy to remember. In many sources you can find information that the choice of name was influenced by the famous Russian Korean Viktor Tsoi, but Ahn refutes this: “When I chose the name, to be honest, I did not know about this singer” and adds that I still have not heard Tsoi’s song: “ In general, I love music, and not only Korean. I constantly play sports with headphones and music in my ears. Only I don’t know much Russian music yet.”
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Viktor An's results at the Sochi Olympics exceeded all expectations: he won 4 medals in all disciplines in which he took part: gold in the 500, 5000 meters and relay, bronze in the 1500 meters.
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An wrote about his future plans as an athlete in on your Twitter: “I can’t leave now. Many children will want to start short track speed skating after the Olympics. We must continue to develop the sport.” “I believe that this Olympics is not the last for me and that I will still win medals for Russia.”
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Ahn's incredible success and the collapse of the South Korean men's team, which was left without medals in Sochi, caused a flurry of criticism in the country against the Korean Skating Union. South Korean President Park Geun-hye ordered "to check why such an outstanding athlete was forced to go abroad."
Personal life
Victor Ahn has a wife, 30-year-old Yu Na Ri, who became a fan of Ahn 10 years ago and was a member of one of his fan clubs, and their romance with the athlete began three years ago. A year ago, the girl moved to Russia and has already received Russian citizenship. Yu Na Ri translates for Victor (he still speaks Russian poorly, although he understands everything), and also acts as an assistant, coordinating meetings and various events for the athlete. Victor admits that he cannot imagine his stay in Russia without her.
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Viktor An became a winner at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. Then he had no equal in short track speed skating - he brought three gold medals in speed skating for our country. However, now 32-year-old Ahn has announced that he is retiring from big-time sports. So far he has not revealed his future plans. At the moment, he remains the most decorated short track speed skater in history.
The President of the Russian Skating Federation Alexey Kravtsov made an official statement.
“Victor Ahn has decided to end his career. Unfortunately, after all the negotiations, he decided that he would not work with us as a coach. We are very grateful to him for all the contribution he made to the development of short track speed skating in Russia,” said Kravtsov.
It is not yet known whether Victor will continue to live in our country. In 2011, he changed his South Korean citizenship and received a Russian passport. The fact is that at home they did not believe in his restoration and put an end to his career. Three years earlier, he injured his knee during training. After the operation, he recovered quickly, but the South Korean Skating Federation was in no hurry to provide him with proper support. Then he decided to move to Russia and train here. Ahn Hyun Soo became Viktor An according to his passport and began preparing for the 2014 Olympics.
“First I received a Russian passport, then Na Ri, who became my wife,” says 31-year-old An. “Thanks to her support, I quickly adapted; she helped me learn Russian. Of course we both miss Korea. My wife even has a cafe there in Seoul. After moving, I communicate less often with my brothers and sisters. I try to catch up when I come to visit. But I feel good in Russia too,” the athlete told StarHit.
The short speed skater was set to take part in the Pyeongchang Games this year, but was not allowed to compete, like many of his colleagues. Those approved by the IOC could not even sew the image of our country’s flag onto their uniforms - they competed as “Olympic athletes from Russia.”
According to rsport.ru, Viktor An ended his career by participating in the Russian Championship, receiving one gold and two silver medals, and also brought victory to the Moscow team in the relay race.
The Russian short track team has never been famous for its athletes, and we approached the home team with zero in the “medals won at the Olympic Games” column. This is why many fans who are interested in sports only during high-profile sporting events did not know about such a sport as short track speed skating or believed that short track speed skating and speed skating are one sport.
But in 2014, everything turned upside down, because at the end of the Sochi Olympics we had three top medals and one bronze and one silver each. This is a miracle for our sport, because largely thanks to these medals, for the first time in a long time we are in first place in the overall team competition at the Winter Olympic Games, and this Olympic miracle’s name is Ahn Hyun-soo, or, as we are all used to, Viktor An. He is the most Russian of non-Russian champions, who opened short track speed skating to many Russian fans and motivated many young children to take up this sport. Victor, thanks to his victories and demonstrated modesty, became the most popular representative of the Russian team at these Games.
At the moment, Viktor An is a six-time Olympic champion, two-time bronze medalist of the games, twenty-time world champion and fourteen-time medalist. He is also a three-time European champion and a five-time Asian Games champion; he also won silver at the Asian Games. If you add up all of Viktor Ahn’s medals at major competitions, you’ll get a pretty impressive picture: 37 gold medals, 11 silver, 7 bronze.
Korean Ahn Hyun Soo
How did the sports career of the “King of Short Track” begin? Oddly enough, Victor Ahn (then Ahn Hyun-soo) began to forge his first victories in elementary school, and this is not surprising, his first coach was Kim Ki-hoon, a three-time Olympic champion and the first short track champion from South Korea .
Ahn began bringing medals to South Korea very early, as a sixteen-year-old youth - at the 2002 World Cup, the Korean was involved in winning one top medal, two silver (1000 meters and all-around) and one bronze (team). But unfortunately, at his first Olympic Games, our hero performed unsuccessfully, leaving without medals. But this Olympics gave him something more important, which contributed to his future victories - experience, because four years later the Korean took four Olympic medals, three of which were of the highest standard!
Viktor Ahn during the relay race for the South Korean team
A rehearsal for his Olympic victories was the 2005 Universiade in Innsbruck, where Ahn won three gold medals and one bronze (the athlete repeated this medal achievement twice at the Olympic Games).
Now it’s hard to believe, but that Olympics in Turin could have been the last in the life of a Korean, but Victor was able to overcome all difficulties, showing the character of a real fighter, which is inherent in truly great athletes, to whom we include Victor Ahn.
It all started with the 2006 World Championships, this time can be considered the most scandalous for South Korean short track speed skating, when the Korean team was divided into two warring camps. An belonged to the side that, due to a conflict with the head coach of the men's team, was forced to train under the guidance of the coach of the women's team. The conflict was so serious that the athletes disdained to be in the same rooms with each other. Because of this tension in the team, Victor thought about retiring several times. Fortunately, the Korean Short Track Federation was able to get out of this situation by uniting all the athletes and already in 2007 in Milan, Ahn set a new record for victories at the world championships, becoming the winner of five championships in a row.
In January 2008, a second event occurred in An's life that could have put an end to his career. During training, Victor received a serious knee injury; recovery took about eight months; during this time, An missed several important tournaments, including the World Championships, where the athlete could update his record and become the winner of six world championships in a row.
At the national selection for the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Ahn took seventh place, and therefore was unable to go to the coveted games, from this moment the career of Victor Ahn, the Russian Viktor Ahn, can begin.
Russian Victor An
Not getting into the national team was the last straw in Viktor Ahn’s patience, and therefore he decided to try to change his place of residence and play for the national team of another country. Ahn submitted a petition to the Russian Skating Union to help him obtain Russian citizenship, since the Korean really wanted to get to the Olympic Games in Sochi, but he did not see support from the Korean side.
In December 2011, an event occurred, the significance of which for Russian short track racing at that time few could yet appreciate - An became a citizen of Russia. The passport of the newly-minted citizen shows off the already popular first and last name - Victor An.
Viktor Ahn at the awards ceremony
The athlete explained the choice of this name for several reasons. First of all, we all know that Victor means winner. Secondly, Ahn wants to become as popular as another Russian Korean named Victor, namely Viktor Tsoi. And, finally, for a Russian person this name is familiar and, quite simply, easy to remember.
All the efforts of the Russian Skating Union were not in vain, as the home Olympics showed. And if for our country the Olympic short track tournament became a real revelation, then for Viktor Ahn’s historical homeland, South Korea, the tournament turned into a failure - the once great South Korean men’s team was unable to win a single medal when the Russian team led by Our hero won five awards!
Performance at the Olympic Games in Sochi
The Russian Korean started with a bronze medal at 1500 meters, after which he brought Russia's first gold medal in short track speed skating in the history of the Olympic Games, winning at 1000 meters (it is worth noting that another Russian Olympian won silver in this race). But the most memorable day in the history of Russian short track speed skating was still ahead; it was the last day of competition in this sport.
That day we rejoiced at two gold medals, to which our Victor An was involved. It all started with a distance of 500 meters, in which, as it seemed, An could miss the victory, because he started later than everyone else in that race, but then, having “sat out” behind the competitors, taking advantage of their mistakes, he won the race and went to prepare for the second triumph of the day . It is worth noting that Victor later admitted that he deliberately delayed at the start so as not to get into a blockage and calmly complete this distance without falling.
Viktor An rejoices after winning the 500 m race
The apogee of Victor’s success was the “gold” in the 5000-meter relay, in which, as part of the gold-bearing four, together with Vladimir Grigoriev, and, Victor won the third gold medal at the Olympics as a member of the Russian team and the sixth in his entire career.
Viktor Ahn has become one of the most recognizable faces of Russian sports and, first of all, many people associate the Sochi Olympics with him. A man whom only short track fans knew among Russians before this Olympics has become someone who is loved and respected by everyone who becomes a sports fan at least once every four years. And it is possible that it was in the wake of this love that Viktor An expressed a desire to become a coach of the Russian national team after completing his athlete’s career.
As far as I know, in our media there has not yet been a detailed description of the Korean period of the biography of our hero Victor Ahn - Ahn Hyun Soo. While watching the competitions in Sochi, I decided to summarize several materials on this topic. It seems that Ahn’s departure from Korea to Russia is largely a coincidence of certain circumstances. Somehow it turned out that there was no place left for him in Korea. In general, here is his story “before Russia”. I’ll say right away that I wouldn’t criticize the Korean Skating Union so vehemently, although they had a hand in it and, as I understand it, they didn’t really like Vitya. Rather, Vitya really wanted to stay in the sport and was not afraid to take a new path... Draw your own conclusions... Where there are controversial issues, it will be said.
Golden An
Viktor An, who is known in his historical homeland under the name An Hyun Soo, has now clearly become a national hero of Russia. To all those who once advised him to “hang up his skates,” he proved everything he could, and even more: he brilliantly repeated his magnificent performance at the Turin Olympics in 2006, winning three Olympic golds and a bronze in Sochi. It’s interesting that before the Olympics in Sochi they also predicted “most likely a few medals” for him, but not that many. As far as I remember, one gold (500 m, now this is his signature distance) and a couple of medals at other distances. But he exceeded even these bold predictions - 3 gold (500, 1000 m and 5000 m relay) and bronze (1500 m).
In Korea, he is also still loved, but Koreans at the same time hate the Korean Skating Union. Why? Because officials and ex-coaches “put an end to him”, “didn’t keep him”, etc. and so on. To a certain extent, it is understandable, since the Korean men's short track team was left without medals in Sochi. And Victor has 4 of them, three of which are gold. You will involuntarily start asking questions. So, how did it all happen and why did it turn out this way?
Let's start with 2002
The head coach of the South Korean short track team "Mr. S" (as he is called in the media), who led the team from 1988 to 2002, noticed Ahn Hyun Soo (Victor Ahn) back in 2002, when he was a high school student and won the Korean Junior Championships.
Either the coach had an instinct or something else, but he not only noticed Ahn, but also insisted that he be included in the South Korean team for the Olympics in Salt Lake City. However, two other more experienced athletes, Min Ren Gwa and Lee Seung Jae, who were No. 2 and No. 3 in the 1000 meters in the world, did not make the team. It is this fact that Anu is most often reminded of when they say that he is not only “a victim of the vicious practices of Korean short track speed skating, but he himself at one time received certain privileges.” In any case, An at that time had no serious victories, no experience, no official rating, but it was he who was taken to the Olympics. However, in 2002 he was unable to take not a single medal at the Olympics in the USA. It is worth remembering that those Olympics were scandalous. U Koreans took gold at one of the distances and gave it to the American.
Then in Korea there was also a storm of indignation, anti-American sentiments about “unfair refereeing,” “using the factor of one’s territory,” and so on. Interesting parallels, right?
Triumph of Ahn Hyun Soo and turning him into the "god" and "emperor" of short track speed skating started in full in 2003u. From 2003 to 2007, he became world champion for five years in a row.
He is the undisputed leader of the team. Coach C, who brought Ahn to the national team, brought Korea 9 gold medals in short track speed skating during the 1990s. But, as critics say, (I don’t know if it’s true or not, but such statements exist and are often encountered) S practiced tactics when one leader is chosen, and all the other athletes “cover” him from attacks by foreign athletes. But this was in the 1990s, even before An joined the national team. Then this practice, as many claim, was preserved, but rivals also studied it and learned to resist.
In 2002, the already mentioned “Mr. S” leaves the post of coach of the national team and becomes a professor at the country’s main sports university - the Korean University of Physical Education (in Korean, Hanguk Chheyuk Taehakkyo, let’s abbreviate it in Russian according to the first letters - KUFK). In 2004, An Hyun-soo also entered this university.
For In Korea, it has always been important what university you come from. This is important even now. Graduates of the same university, as a rule, support each other, help, and protect each other. Let’s just note this fact and remember about it later.
According to some publications, in January 2005, one of the members of the Korean national team (the eldest in age) allegedly beat Ahn. This senior was “not from KUFK”, but An from “KUFK”. The athlete himself denies that he beat An, saying only that he only “put the presumptuous young man in his place.” Whether he hit or not is not so important. There is clearly a conflict. Maybe it also played a role in the fact that the newcomer began to constantly win. Maybe all together, but there was a conflict... The rest of the team claimed that their new coach Kim Ki-hoon (he relied on people from KUFK) forced them to cover the leader, who was Ahn Hyun-soo. From there, they say, so many victories.
Team conflict
In April 2005, a scandal arose in short track speed skating. Seven of the eight athletes of the men's team refused to enter the sports base in Taeryung (in Seoul), protesting against the next appointment of Kim Ki-hoon as the team coach. What is important is that all seven are NOT from KUFK. The only one who stopped by the base was Ahn Hyun Soo (student of KUFK). Kim was again accused of relying on “his own” - namely, people from and students from KUFK (the situation, by the way, is very common in Korea. The same “graters” - “our university is not our university” are also in the Korean army , and in the police, and many other places, when there is a “main university” in this field and “all the others”).
It seems that there was a very strong conflict in the team back then. Three months after the April scandal, there was a new scandal, “exactly the opposite”: in July 2005, Ahn Hyun-soo and five other members of the national team (including Choi Eun-kyung, who won gold in the 3000-meter relay at the Olympics in Turin) openly oppose national team coach Yoon Jae Myung. Again, it has something to do with the university. Yun is not from KUFK. Those who were against were students of KUFK.
In 2005, the five held a press conference and stated that Coach Yoon “rigged the results of the competition” and “resorted to assault.” The second, they say, is a common phenomenon for short track speed skating in Korea. I’ll be careful here: according to rumors, it was precisely because of this technique that the Korean coach, who later began coaching the Russian national team, left. I repeat, I heard this version only half-heartedly, I can’t speak with accuracy.
Let's go back... The conflict in the men's team has subsided, but has not disappeared. Approximately the same conflict occurs in the women's team. As a result, the rest of the team began to boycott Ana. Again: An is from KUFK, those who boycotted are from other universities.
In the end, the Korean Skating Union makes a decision: athletes can train with any coach of the national team - men's or women's. In the end it turned out that Ahn Hyun Soo began training with the women's team, where the coach was from KUFK (Park Se Woo), and two girls from the national team - Chin Song Yu and Pen Cheon Sa - train with men. The situation is similar: Chin and Pen are “not from KUFK” and chose a coach “not from KUFK” (then there was Son Jae-geun from Tanguk University).
In general, for the period 2003-2006 (and possibly further), the confrontation and showdowns “what university are you from” in the style of “KUFK” or “not KUFK” were strong. The trainers, according to rumors, relied on those from their “faction” and did not pay attention to “outsiders”. This is the reason for all these scandals and protests.
It is clear that the situation is not very healthy when there is such a showdown, and men and women are training in an unclear way, but they decided to temporarily turn a blind eye to this, since the Olympics in Turin are just around the corner.
Despite the conflict with members of the national team, Ahn Hyun-soo in 2006 becomes a triumphant Olympic Games in Turin: three golds (1000, 1500 m and 3000 m relay) and one bronze (500 m). From the women's team, the above-mentioned Chin Song Yu ("not KUFK") also took three golds. In short, the conflict was a conflict, but they won a lot of medals, and therefore somehow there was no feeling that “something is bad and it’s time to change a lot” in the general practice of selection and training.
But immediately after the Olympics, the conflict flares up with renewed vigor. It seems that then the confrontation between Ahn, who is already at the peak of his popularity, and some officials from the Korean Skating Union (KKU) and coaches becomes very sharp. In April 2006, returning from the World Championships, where Ahn Hyun Soo won again, his father Ahn Ki-won almost got into a fight with one of the officials from the JCC. An's father claimed that officials were inciting other athletes to prevent An from winning the World Championships. He eventually won, but barely. Other athletes made similar statements, saying that they were given instructions not to let one of their team win. Even if the medals go to foreign participants.
It was in 2006 at the Olympics that an incident occurred when in the final, in one of the races, three Koreans were ahead. One won (Ahn Hyun Soo) and the other two knocked each other down. They could have brought silver and bronze to their country, but excessive competition led to the medals going to foreigners. Well, this is a characteristic of the general atmosphere in the team. In general, at that time there seemed to be a lot of good athletes in Korea, and Ahn had plenty of competitors.
In December 2007, the new team of the Suwon City Hall makes Ahn Hyun Soo a very good offer: 500 million won (about 450 thousand dollars) for three years of performance. But then, according to Ahn Hyun Soo’s father Ahn Gi Won, a conflict arose between Ahn (Victor) and his very first patron, S. That same “Mr. S” suggested that Ahn enroll in graduate school at KUFK (perhaps he wanted to drag the guy into administrative work ), but he decided to accept the offer of the Suwon City Hall team being created at that moment. After this (again, according to Ahn Ki-won), Vitya Ahn entered into a new conflict with sports officials of the Skating Union.
Blow by blow
In January 2008, Ahn Hyun-soo takes a big hit in every sense of the word: crashes into the side during training at the sports base in Taeryun, severely damages his knee, he undergoes a total of three (according to other sources - four) operations in two years. It is clear that there is little time for training. As a result, at the qualifying competitions in 2009, he took only 9th place, and he was not taken to the Olympics in Vancouver. Didn't pass the qualifying rounds, didn't get into the quota based on the results - that's all. In order to get into the national team, you had to be in the top three.
But Ahn Hyun-soo is full of desire to return to the national team. But in 2010 - another blow of fate. That year it was planned that qualifying competitions for the national team would be held in April. An was preparing for them. But due to new scandals regarding the JCC, a state audit begins, and the qualifying rounds are postponed to September-October. An was supposed to go into the army for a month in May. He planned that he would be selected in April and calmly go to serve in May. But it didn't work out.
Military service and adjustments in the training plan disrupted his training schedule and getting into peak shape, and at the qualifying rounds in 2010 he took only 7th place. As a result, Ahn Hyun Soo is no longer in the national team, and he is not taken to the World Cup. And then he himself says that “I was preparing and preparing for April, but then... everyone threw off the schedule.” Officials from the JCC say that the postponement was inevitable due to checks, and it is impossible to change the schedule for only one candidate to the national team. Otherwise, other athletes will start talking about privileges for an individual athlete. One way or another, Ana is not on the national team in 2010.
A in December 2010, Ahn Hyun Soo receives a new blow. Due to financial problems, the Suwon City Hall team is being disbanded. Ahn tried but was unable to find another team to train with.
Russian proposal
At the same time (January 2011), according to the Korean media, Anu was made an offer from Russia - to change her citizenship, play for the national team with a guarantee of participation in the Olympics in Sochi in 2014 and then a position as a coach in the Russian Federation. Ahn (again, these are all Korean versions, but very similar to the truth) takes time to think. The offer is tempting, but change citizenship and go to another country, especially to Russia, which Koreans don’t really know. In general, he “promised to think about it.”
In February 2011, Ahn Hyun-soo took gold and two silvers at Korean competitions and declared that he “will fight for the right to compete for the Korean national team.” In April 2011, he competes in qualifying competitions, but in order to get into the national team and go to Sochi from Korea, he must be among the first four. An takes fifth place and does not qualify for the national team. Then he accepts Russia’s offer, and in June 2011 he leaves for Moscow. In November he received Russian citizenship and became known to us as Viktor An.
By the way, why Victor
Why he is Victor was in one of the notes, but in short, there are three reasons (according to Victor himself):
1) wanted to become famous for Russia, like Viktor Tsoi;
2) because “winner”;
3) because "Victor" is easy to remember.
On my own behalf, I’ll probably add that An wanted to start all over again. All this, as is now obvious, was successful: he is now no less famous for Russians than Viktor Tsoi, he is a winner, his name is remembered.
Triumph and joy
On the ice of Sochi Victor Ahn repeats the triumph of Turin 2006, but already under the Russian flag. At all distances in which he participated, he won medals, three of which were gold. The only difference with Turin: in 2006 there was bronze in the 500 meters and the rest (1000, 1500 and 5000 m relay) gold. Now bronze is 1500 meters (age, it’s harder to run long ones), and the rest are 500, 1000 and the 5000 relay - gold.
It hurts the Koreans to see this, but they are happy for An. If earlier there were statements in the style of “it was impossible to change citizenship”, “traitor” - not a lot, but there were - then now he is only praised and loved. And popular hatred is directed only at the Korean Skating Union (KKU). From the point of view of ordinary Koreans, only officials are to blame for everything.
And not just “just people.” South Korean President Park Geun-hye, after Ahn's gold in the 1500 m, gives instructions to "check why such an outstanding athlete was forced to go abroad."
A victim of factionalism or circumstance?
Well what can I say. Now Victor is on horseback, the JCC has already been appointed as the culprit. True or false? Well, there was frankationalism, especially before 2008. But, on the other hand, at one time it may have helped. In any case, it was difficult otherwise then. “Friend-foe”, “our university-foreign university”, “KUFK-not KUFK” - such relationships permeate Korean society. Sometimes this is their strength, sometimes it is their weakness. Sometimes this helped Victor, sometimes it didn’t.
Victor’s father told Korean journalists that recently this problem has become much smaller in the JCC, but another problem remains, that the overall management of the team and the selection process are concentrated in the hands of the same person. And if there is a conflict with him, then the athlete will be “crushed.” According to rumors, the very “center of power” is “Mr. S”, with whom An later conflicted.
Yes, on the one hand, there are problems in the JCC, reforms are needed. Koreans have good athletes, some are very good, but something is wrong. There are no more victories, although, as they say, the Europeans who tried to train with the Koreans and Chinese, they could not withstand the stress. But, nevertheless, foreigners (not only the Chinese) take medals and beat the Koreans. Let me remind you that now in Sochi the Korean men in short track speed skating were left without any medals at all. This is a failure, this is really bad. Organizational conclusions will follow. Koreans have potential, but for some reason it is not being realized. And then Vitya An wiped everyone’s noses.
But, on the other hand, if we go into details, would it be possible to leave Vitya in Korea? Let's look from the outside: he did not pass the qualifying rounds, that is, the “rigid sports principle”, when “personal preferences are discarded and we look only at the result,” rejected him. From 2009 to 2011, for one reason or another, he did not qualify, although he came close (in places: 9-7-5 in the qualifiers). That is, either it was necessary to do something “for him personally,” or “on a general basis,” that is, to reject it.
The first was, perhaps, impossible for those conditions in Korea. Firstly, if you postpone the qualifiers or just take Ana, then there would immediately be a howl in the media - “favoritism” and so on. And after the state audit of 2009, when they began to fight the “KUFK-not KUFK” approach and other “vicious practices”, this became completely impossible. If the federation had taken a step towards Anu, at least questions would have arisen for it.
Secondly, Vitya was after a severe injury. No one knew whether he would be able to return to the ice and show his former strength. And, of course, they demand medals from coaches. Nobody wanted to take risks.
Thirdly, as already mentioned, there are many good athletes in short track speed skating in Korea. That’s why they wanted to “select the strongest.” Vitya was not included in the national team quota in 2009-2011.
Fourthly, yes, there was a personal factor. No one wanted to make an exception for him. Due to past conflicts, among other things. But in general, it seems to me that it was simply difficult for him to stay in Korea, taking into account all those objective circumstances. Although, as I think, if I had found a new team (local), then perhaps I would not have gone to Russia. True, the Olympics in Sochi are approaching, and he’s getting old...
According to rumors, Ahn first moved to the United States, but conditions in Russia were better. I chose Russia - thanks to him. But I definitely wouldn’t blame SKK. This is rather some kind of evil fate over Victor in Korea, some kind of fatal bad luck that pushed him out of the country and moved him towards Russia.
Here I agree with the statements of one Korean coach. I quote: “Now everyone is criticizing the JCC, but it seems to me that Ahn’s failure to perform for the Korean national team is due to an injury from which he could not recover for three years. We must give all athletes the same chances, this is the sports objective principle. Why in our There are no other outstanding athletes in the national team - Jin Sung Yu, Kwak Yun Gi, No Jin Kyu? They didn’t pass the qualifying rounds and didn’t go to Sochi. Everything is fair. Ahn Hyun Soo is a great athlete, but he made a different choice. chance. Russia helped him. And he’s done well, and Russia has done well. You can congratulate them and applaud them, but to say that the Skating Union is to blame is not entirely fair.”
Irony Sochi-2014
By the way, about the irony of Sochi. Everyone saw the triumph of Anastasia Kuzmina, competing for Slovakia. Biathlete Daria Domracheva took three gold medals in Sochi. She also did not qualify for the Russian biathlon team at one time. And in Belarus it blossomed. Like Kuzmina too. But it was a little simpler for them: at one time they simply did not pass the qualifying rounds (the difference between Ahn is that by 2009 he was already a three-time champion of Turin 2006). But the biathletes themselves say: “They couldn’t stay in the Russian national team based on sports performance.” Objectively? - Yes. But it’s a little offensive, too, yes. How can you see the flower that will bloom in a few years, and how can you explain to others who is better at the qualifiers, but he is, like, now a “flower”, but soon he will be “not a flower”? I don't know…
By and large, what they lost with Domracheva and Kuzmina, Vitya An and Vitya Wild brought.
Maybe we’ll invite Russian and Korean girls “a la Vitya An?”
By the way, since the conversation has already started. Maybe Russia should look at those who, unlike Vitya, once decided to accept the results of the qualifying rounds? Since this happened with Vitya, maybe we’ll find “Korean locomotives” for the Russian women’s national team. The names have just been named - the same Chin Song Yu (also three golds in Turin 2006, the “female copy” of Viti An in terms of medals). Vancouver 2010 medalists Kwak Yun Gi and Lee Jong Soo took 7th and 8th places at the qualifiers in 2010 and also ended up outside the national team.
Maybe Russia approached them, but they refused? May be. Don't know. But if it didn’t suit you, then you can try.
During the games, Vitya himself avoided communicating with the Korean media and promised to tell “everything” after the Olympics. It will be interesting to hear what he has to say. He proved everything, he is a hero, so now he can do everything “as is.”
A few words about U Na Ri
Victor's fans in Russia and Korea are very interested in his girlfriend. Judging by Vitya’s statements, she is, after all, his wife. Although I myself disputed this.
Even Ana’s dad said that the wedding would be held after the Olympics. Vitya himself recently said that he and Na Ri had already married in Korea, but there was no ceremony. Maybe the discrepancy is also because they signed in Korea, but not here. However, advice and love in any case. She’s great, she was always with him, including on the issue of changing citizenship. Well, all these awards and hers too, definitely.
Well, and one more thing...
In fact, for South Korea, the story of an athlete changing his citizenship and competing for another country is not unique. There were such cases, but with An - the loudest and brightest. Here are more examples: already mentioned Choi Min Kyung competed in short track speed skating for Korea at the Salt Lake City Olympics and won gold in the 3000 meter relay. In 2006, she already competed for France in Turin., but didn’t get into the medals.
Judoka Choo Sung Hoon- ethnic Korean from Japan. Lost the qualifying competition for the Korean national team and decided to compete for Japan at the Asian Games in Busan in 2002. And successfully - he won gold at the 2002 Asian Games.
The Koreans themselves also recently imported two foreigners. Former Canadians Brian Young and Michael Swift received Korean citizenship and will now play for the South Korean ice hockey team.
This is Vitya An, this is such a difficult story. Well done for fighting to the end and proving everything to yourself and everyone else. But Koreans need to get used to the fact that their athletes will go abroad, changing their citizenship. Vitya will be a catalyst, that’s for sure... In some places, the Koreans have a surplus of outstanding athletes who simply objectively may not make it into their quota, but will fit in in other countries.
Every sport is a mystery! Some - to a greater extent, some - to a lesser extent. The average viewer sees only what the TV screen presents to him, namely the competitive picture. However, few people know what intrigues are woven in the behind-the-scenes games. One of these intrigues has been worrying the masses of the Russian Federation for several months now. "Which one?" - you ask. More on this below.
How Viktor An opened short track speed skating for Russia
Until recently, Russian spectators had no idea about such a sport as short track speed skating.
Only the light of the Olympics opened it for our people, and with it perhaps the main Sochi mystery was added - the question of why Viktor An changed his citizenship, why he plays for Russia. As you understand, the shroud of mystery is associated with the hero of the 2014 Olympic Games, Viktor An, who brought three gold medals to the Russian team. There are many assumptions, but in order to understand everything, you first need to know the whole history of the newly minted Russian.
First steps in the world of sports
Our hero became an athlete while still a citizen of South Korea. Back in 2002, the young, but no less talented, boy was scouted at the Korean Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships by the then head coach of this Asian team. Ahn Hyun Soo, and this is the name his parents gave our hero, already stood out among his peers, which attracted the attention of such an important person. After winning the competition, the future absolute world champion was invited to join the country's main short track speed skating team.
It is difficult to guess what the coach was guided by - proven instinct or inflated conceit in his own infallibility, but he insisted that Ahn Hyun Soo (Victor Ahn), whose biography did not include a single race at the adult level, went to the Olympic Games in Salt Lake -City. Incredibly, an unknown sixteen-year-old youth took a place on the team, leaving behind, by the way, the silver medalist of the World Championship that preceded the Olympics, only at the whim of the coach. This is hardly possible in the current realities. Be that as it may, the young Korean took part in his first games, where he managed to achieve 4th place in the 1000 m.
Ahn Hyun-soo era
The heyday of Ahn Hyun-soo's career began literally from the next season and occurred in 2003-2007. During this period, he became the absolute world champion five times in a row, simultaneously picking up 11 gold medals at world championships, five silver and one, inconspicuous against such a background, bronze medals. This was truly his era, which he once again proved over the years.
Pre-Turino collisions
The trip to Italian Turin was preceded by a number of scandals in the Korean team related to protection. The fact is that in South Korea there are strong inter-university feuds, and in the national team, coaches often nominated an athlete from the higher educational institution where they themselves teach to the position of leader. At first, Ahn Hyun-soo himself enjoyed this privilege, which is why half of the team, and on the eve of the Turin Olympics, he found himself on the sidelines, without the help of his partners. But Ahn did not put up with this state of affairs and, together with five other team members, accused the new head coach Yoon Jae Myung of rigging the results. As a result, the scandal was hushed up, but the team leader was openly boycotted. Obviously, these events are the first kernel of the answer to the question of why Viktor Ahn changed his citizenship. In general, with such a baggage of passions within the team, the athletes went to Turin.
Turin triumph
The story of infighting within the Korean short track team was on everyone's lips. And all the more unexpected against this background was the absolute dominance of Ahn Hyun-soo on the ice track of the Italian capital of the Olympic Games. The Korean athlete won three golds, sweeping away his opponents from his path. It was also a pleasant addition at a distance of 500 meters. It was nothing short of a triumph for the Korean athlete.
A series of injuries and failures
Two years have passed, Ahn Hyun Soo has been riding the waves of success, crushing his opponents at a distance. But in one terrible moment everything changed. During one of the training sessions, An made a bad turn, for which he paid heavily. The price to pay was several serious operations and two years of recovery. As a result, 2008 and part of 2009 were lost, and with them all preparations for the Vancouver Olympic Games. However, future citizen Viktor An, whose injury shocked the whole world, refused to give up. There was only a little time left before the qualifying start, but he was determined to get in shape and show everything he was capable of.
Even though the desire was overflowing, a miracle did not happen. The selection was completed in 9th place, Vancouver was lost. Then troubles followed one after another. Each of them explains in its own way why Viktor An changed his citizenship and became a Russian.
The next significant struggle in the schedule of the famous short track speed skater was the intra-Korean competition for the right to compete at the World Championships. However, even here he was met with failure. During the preparation period, Ahn Hyun Soo (Victor Ahn), for whom short track speed skating was his life's work, lost his team. I had to look for a new one, but I still couldn’t find it. As a result, in “no training” conditions during the selection for the next world championship, An took only 5th place and again did not qualify for the top three. The former champion was on his knees, but had no intention of giving up.
Russia the savior
After some time, a proposal was received from the Russian Short Track Federation, according to which, with his consent, Viktor An would become the leader of the team. He accepted citizenship, albeit after some deliberation, and changed his real name An Hyun Soo to the one we all know, Victor An. It’s probably not necessary to tell how happily this story ended. We can only hope that with Viktor Ahn, new pages of Russian short track racing will be covered with even greater champion achievements.
This is how it is, Viktor Ahn’s life before arriving in Russia. As you can see, the question of why Viktor Ahn changed his citizenship is easily explained, because he had enough reasons to change the Korean flag to the Russian one. We can only wish him good luck and triumph at the Moscow World Championships.
