Korea Figure Skating Team Begins Special Training at Private Rink Ahead of First Olympic Medal Bid in 12 Years

The Korean figure skating team, aiming for the nation's first Olympic figure skating medal since Kim Yuna's silver at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, has begun secret training sessions at a special venue.

The national figure skating team has been conducting individual practice sessions at a privately rented ice rink in Milan, Italy, since January 6 (Korea time), ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The organizing committee allows figure skaters competing in the Olympics to train only during designated time slots at the Olympic arena and practice rinks based on assigned schedules. Under this arrangement, athletes must practice in groups with other competitors, reducing opportunities to focus fully on their own training. To provide an environment where athletes can train freely, the Korea Skating Union rented an external rink.

"Figure skating is an individual sport where each athlete has different routines, and they may have difficulty adjusting their condition depending on practice times," a skating official said. "Now that an environment has been created where they can train without outside interference, the athletes will be able to effectively improve their performance."

This arrangement has secured time for the athletes to freely practice their programs according to their own schedules.

The Korean figure skating team will compete in the team event from January 6 to 9, followed by individual events from January 10 to 14. Cha Jun-hwan (Seoul City Hall) in men's singles, Shin Ji-a (Sehwa Girls' High School) in women's singles, and ice dance pair Lim Hae-na and Kwon Ye (Gyeonggi Province) will compete in the team event. For the individual events, Kim Hyun-gyeom (Korea University) in men's singles and Lee Hae-in (Korea University) in women's singles will join the team event members.