South Korean snowboarder Lee Sang-ho has made a promising start in his bid for a historic 400th Olympic medal for Korea, securing 6th place in the qualifiers for the parallel giant slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy. His aggregate time for the two runs was 1:26.74, allowing him to advance to the Round of 16, which is structured as a knockout competition where any loss results in elimination. Fellow competitor Kim Sang-gyeom also advanced with an 8th place finish, while Jo Wan-hee did not qualify, finishing in 18th place.

The parallel giant slalom is an alpine discipline where two competitors race down adjacent courses, adding a competitive edge to the event. The Round of 16 is scheduled to start later in the evening, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, setting the stage for intense head-to-head competition. Lee, who won a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, aims to improve upon his performance after being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 2022 Games. His recent victory in Slovenia has rejuvenated his competitive spirit as he leads the South Korean men's team and seeks to become the first South Korean to win a gold medal in skiing or snowboarding at the Olympics.

If Lee achieves a podium finish, he would make history as the athlete to win the 400th Olympic medal for South Korea, contributing to the nation’s impressive medal tally of 399 from both the Summer and Winter Games combined, comprising 320 from the Summer Olympics and 79 from the Winter Olympics. This achievement would represent a significant milestone in South Korea's Olympic journey and sporting history.