Lim Jong-eon, a promising 19-year-old short track speed skater from Goyang, celebrated a remarkable achievement in his first Olympic appearance by clinching the bronze medal in the men’s 1000m event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Competing on January 13, 2026, at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, Lim finished with a time of 1:24.611, showcasing his competitive spirit and strategic acumen in the race. The gold and silver medals were secured by Netherlands' Jens van 't Wout and China's Sun Long, respectively, with Lim displaying impressive speed and tactical decision-making in the final moments of the race to leap into third place.

Starting from the inner fourth position, Lim quickly secured a spot in the top three. As competitors like William Dandjinou from Canada surged forward, Lim adopted a strategy of pacing himself and saving energy for a fierce sprint toward the end. With half a lap to go, Lim made a decisive acceleration, overtaking opponents in a thrilling finish that solidified his spot on the podium. Post-race, he expressed his joy by waving the South Korean flag and celebrating with fellow athlete Shin Dong-min, who was waiting for him after the race.

Historically, the men’s 1000m event has been a stronghold for South Korea since the 1992 Albertville Olympics. However, since 2014, the South Korean team had seen a decline in performance, with Lim’s bronze being the best result since Sochi 2014. In this same race, his teammate Shin Dong-min placed eighth, following a challenging semifinal, and Hwang Dae-heon was disqualified after a collision. Lim’s success has reignited hope for the South Korean short track team, emphasizing the potential future successes of young athletes.