Kim Dong-sung won a gold medal in 1000m race and silver medal in 5000m relay at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
29 Facts About Kim Dong-sung
1.
2.
Kim Dong-sung has been a two-time Overall World Champion in 1997 and in 2002 and two-time Overall World Cup Champion.
3.
Kim Dong-sung was born in Seoul, the third of three children of Kim Tae-young and his wife Yoo Young-hee.
4.
In February 1996, Kim Dong-sung was first called up to the South Korean national team and made his senior debut at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China at the age of 16, where he won the gold medal in the men's 5000 metre relay together with Olympic champions Chae Ji-hoon and Song Jae-kun, and three medals in the individual events.
5.
In March 1996, Kim Dong-sung made his first appearance at the World Championships in The Hague, where he won bronze as a member of the 5000 metre relay team.
6.
In January 1997, Kim Dong-sung competed in the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships held in Marquette, Michigan.
7.
Two months after winning the overall world junior championship title, Kim Dong-sung competed in the World Championships in Nagano as a member of the South Korean senior national team.
8.
Kim Dong-sung then won his first overall world championship title clinching gold in the 1000 metres, 3000 metres and 5000 metre relay.
9.
Kim Dong-sung became the first short track speed skater to win the overall world championship titles both at junior and senior levels in the same year.
10.
In February 1998, a year after winning the overall world championship title, Kim Dong-sung competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano as a favorite.
11.
Kim Dong-sung helped the Korean team to win the silver medal in the 5000 metre relay.
12.
Kim Dong-sung continued to dominate at the fourth race in Szekesfehervar and fifth race in Nobeyama, placing first overall in both with five individual gold medals.
13.
Kim Dong-sung had controversial disqualifications in the quarterfinals of the 500 metres and 1000 metres at the final World Cup race in Beijing, China.
14.
At the third race in Nobeyama, Kim Dong-sung finished second in the overall standings winning the 3000 metres and 5000 meter relay.
15.
On December 5,1999, Kim Dong-sung set two world records on the same day at the fourth World Cup race in Changchun.
16.
Kim Dong-sung first set a world record time of 1:27.307 when he finished first in the 1000 m final, and then broke another world record in the 5000 m relay with a time of 6:49.618 as a member of the South Korean relay team.
17.
Kim Dong-sung added one 5000 metre relay gold and one 1000 m bronze at the fifth World Cup race in Gothenburg as well.
18.
Kim Dong-sung was taken to hospital and operated on, which ruled him out for the rest of the tournament.
19.
Kim Dong-sung re-injured his knee during a race and decided to sit out the rest of the season after the third World Cup race in Nobeyama.
20.
Kim Dong-sung then underwent his second arthroscopic surgery since 1998.
21.
Kim Dong-sung eventually secured his second overall World Cup title at the last race of the season in Amsterdam, where he finished second overall with the 1500 metre gold.
22.
Many skating fans felt that Ohno made an exaggerated show to feign being blocked when Ohno realized he wouldn't win otherwise as Kim Dong-sung was then in first place with 0.5 laps left.
23.
Kim Dong-sung showed a remarkable comeback in the 5000 metre relay, after Ahn Hyun-soo fell over with four laps to go, by regaining a 20-metre gap between the Canadian team and the Korean team to seize the gold medal by 0.005 seconds.
24.
Kim Dong-sung posted a thread on one of Korean online communities the reason why he made such gap.
25.
Kim Dong-sung competed in domestic competitions sporadically in 2003 and 2004, but finally announced his retirement in 2005 due to a chronic knee injury.
26.
In February 2011, The Washington Post reported that six skaters said Kim Dong-sung abused them or they saw Kim Dong-sung inflict corporal punishment on other skaters.
27.
Kim Dong-sung strongly denied hitting or abusing any skater through local media, and 32 parents at his club defended him, saying the charges had been manufactured by parents and coaches motivated by financial disputes or jealous of Kim Dong-sung's success in the local area.
28.
Kim Dong-sung was reinstated in August 2011 when the Maryland Child Protective Services in Montgomery County finally turned down the legal charges against Kim Dong-sung that US Speedskating brought.
29.
Kim Dong-sung is currently serving as a short track speed skating commentator for KBS.