Russia’s Viktor Ahn to decide on his short track speed skating career by November

Viktor continues practicing, the president of the Russian Speed Skating Union told TASS

MOSCOW, July 17. /TASS/. The six-time Olympic gold medalist in short track speed skating, Russian national Viktor Ahn, will decide on his sports career sometime before November, Alexei Kravtsov, the president of the Russian Speed Skating Union (RSSU), told TASS on Tuesday.

Ahn announced in spring this year that he would make a decision about his future career in June. Kravtsov said at that time that in case Ahn decides to wrap up his sports career, he was welcome to join the coaching staff of the Russian national short track speed skating team.

"This issue has been put on hold until November," Kravtsov told TASS on Tuesday. "Viktor continues practicing."

Late last year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the membership of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) over doping abuse allegations but allowed clean Russian athletes to participate in the 2018 Winter Games under the Olympic flag and in the neutral status of an Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR). Viktor Ahn was not among the Russian athletes to receive an invitation from the IOC and missed the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

Viktor Ahn was born in South Korea’s Seoul as Ahn Hyun-Soo and initially competed for his native country’s team. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy’s Turin he brought South Korea three golds and one bronze medal in short track.

After the 2006 Olympics in Turin, a string of injuries kept him sidelined from major short track competitions and before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada’s Vancouver he failed to qualify for the South Korean national team.

In 2011, he was granted Russian citizenship and announced his decision to speed skate for Russia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where he clinched three gold medals and one bronze medal.

He is also the six-time Overall World Champion, winning the titles in 2003-2007 and in 2014.