(LEAD) (Olympics) Short track team's elder statesman collects silver in Olympic swan song

▲ Kwak Yoon-gy of South Korea competes in the final of the men's 5,000m relay in short track speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2022. (Yonhap)

▲ Kwak Yoon-gy of South Korea (C) climbs to the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's 5,000m relay in short track speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics after South Korea won silver at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Feb. 16, 2022. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) (Olympics) short track-relay medalist

(LEAD) (Olympics) Short track team's elder statesman collects silver in Olympic swan song

(ATTN: ADDS comments in last 6 paras)

By Yoo Jee-ho

BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- In the final race of his third and last Winter Olympics, the South Korean short track speed skater Kwak Yoon-gy surely had a memorable ending.

The 32-year-old anchored South Korea to the silver medal in the men's 5,000m relay at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Wednesday, with Canada finishing just ahead for the gold.

This is South Korea's first medal in this event since 2010. In Vancouver that year, Kwak was a member of the silver medal-winning squad.

A month before the opening of Beijing 2022, Kwak had said this would be his final Olympics. And in the days leading up to the relay event -- Kwak wasn't eligible for individual races -- Kwak took on the roles of the team's resident comedian, designated photographer and videographer, and sometimes its de facto spokesperson. He seemed intent on enjoying his Olympic experience to the fullest, knowing he wouldn't get another opportunity.

But on Monday, two days before what was expected to be his final race, Kwak said he was no longer so sure. For one, if he went into the relay thinking it would be his last Olympic race, Kwak was worried he would put too much pressure on himself to do well. And secondly, Kwak said, deep inside, he would like to try out for another Olympics.

Then in a video posted on his popular YouTube channel Tuesday, Kwak made it official the relay final would be his last Olympic race.

And Kwak skated like a man on a mission. With his bright pink locks flowing underneath his helmet, Kwak circled the track with abandon during the 45-lap race.

South Korea led in the first half of the race before Canada seized control in the latter half and never lost it. As the anchor, Kwak tried to make one last push, but Steven Dubois was too far ahead and never gave Kwak a chance to pull off his patented cut on the inside.

After the race, though, Kwak didn't look like an athlete defeated. As he had done in the days leading up to Beijing, Kwak was at his fun-loving self, even pulling off some BTS dance moves on his way to the podium during the victory ceremony.

He didn't seem to mind that the position was for the silver medal, instead of the gold medal.

Kwak apparently hid his disappointment well, though, because he let on afterward he wished he had ended his Olympic career with a gold.

"I've worked so much with my eyes on a gold medal only," Kwak said. "This was my last dance. Now that I've come up short of gold, I began wondering if I should come back for another Olympics. This wasn't easy at all."

Kwak said his BTS moves on the podium were his tribute to RM, a BTS member who supported Kwak on social media after the short tracker came under attack from angry Chinese fans for criticizing pro-China bias among short track officials.

Kwak said South Korea should have been able to win gold if he hadn't messed up in latter stages of the race.

"We lost our lead when I made a mistake, and things kept going bad from there," Kwak said. "I had a couple of chances to move out in front, but I was saving my energy for the final stretch. I should have made my move right there and then.

"I feel pretty guilty, and I feel bad for my teammates," Kwak added. "I've been telling those guys to trust me and to keep following my lead. I feel like I've been all talk. But this has been a pretty memorable run. I am lucky to have skated with these guys."

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