(Olympics) Teammates grab speed skating medals on penultimate day

▲ South Korean speed skaters Chung Jae-won (L) and Lee Seung-hoon celebrate after winning silver and bronze medals in the men's mass start at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 19, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean silver medalist Chung Jae-won (L) and bronze medalist Lee Seung-hoon (R) flank the champion, Bart Swings of Belgium, during the victory ceremony for the men's mass start speed skating race at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Feb. 19, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ A South Korean bobsleigh team led by pilot Won Yun-jong (R) starts the first run of the four-man competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics at Yanqing National Sliding Centre in Yanqing, northwestern Beijing, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Yonhap)

(Olympics) S Korea recap-Day 15

(Olympics) Teammates grab speed skating medals on penultimate day

By Yoo Jee-ho

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- Teammates Chung Jae-won and Lee Seung-hoon skated to silver and bronze medals in the men's mass start speed skating race on Saturday, the second-to-last day of Beijing 2022.

Those two medals will likely end up being South Korea's last medals at these Winter Games, as the country's two bobsleigh teams were well out of contention in the four-man event.

In the men's mass start final, Chung crossed the line in second place in 7:47.18, just 0.07 second behind Bart Swings of Belgium. Lee was 0.02 behind Chung for the bronze.

Lee won the inaugural Olympic title in the mass start four years ago, with Chung, then 16, as his pacemaker. This time, Chung had his moment to shine with his first individual Olympic medal.

With the bronze, Lee is now the most decorated Winter Olympian in South Korea with six career medals -- two golds, three silvers and one bronze.

Also on Saturday, two South Korean teams ranked near the bottom of the pack at the halfway point of the four-man bobsleigh event.

One South Korean team piloted by Won Yun-jong ranked 18th out of 28 teams with a combined time of 1:59.05 from two runs at Yanqing National Sliding Centre in Yanqing, northwestern Beijing.

Another team, led by pilot Suk Young-jin, finished in 26th place at 2:00.05.

The final two runs will take place Sunday, the last day of the Olympics.

Through Saturday, South Korea has won two golds, five silvers and two bronzes.

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