Lee Sang-hwa

Lee Sang- hwa (born 25 February 1989) is a South Korean speed skater who is specialized in the sprints and the 2010 and 2014 Olympic champion over 500m was.

Career

In the 2004/05 season Lee made ​​his debut in the World Cup. About the 1000 meters she could achieve notable successes as a 11th place in December 2004 at the World Cup in Harbin. Far more successful it is about 500 meters. Here she was able to repeatedly reach ranks on the podium in the World Cup. About 100 meters she could even win their first World Cup at the World Cup finals in March 2006. Even in the World Cup they reached the second place an outstanding result, which was supplemented with the sixth overall on the 500 meters. The South Korean national championships in 2004 and 2005, she was five times national champion and runner-up once. About 100 meters she put 2005 junior world record over 500m she improved her own world record even within two days.

At the Olympic Winter Games 2006 in Turin Lee is about 2x 500 meters for fifth place in the single distance world championships in 2007 and 2008, she just missed the bronze medal and finished fourth on 2x 500 meters.

Her biggest success was achieved by Lee at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where she won the gold medal over 500 meters. In the same year she also won the sprint World Cup in Obihiro. 2012 Lee wins first time at the World Single Distance Championships in Heerenveen a gold medal in 2x 500 meters. A year later, they finished third in the Sprint Championships 2013 in Salt Lake City. In the World Cup 2012/13 the first time she could win the overall World Cup over 500 meters in her career. At the 2013 World Championships in Sochi Lee was able to defend her title over 2x 500 meters successfully. She won both races with a clear lead and was able to prevail as sovereign. At the Olympic Winter Games 2014 she defended her Olympic gold medal.