The I AM: series looks to explore the back stories of various athletes from around the world. This episode features Kim Gun Woo, the 23 year old short track speed skater from South Korea.
"If there's a will, there's a way."
To say short track speed skating is loved in South Korea is a dramatic understatement. The sport is well known to its citizens. This is most likely attributed to the fact the country has produced more Olympic, World, and World Cup Champions than any other country in the world.
The system that's been set up for the sport in the country has many layers including national, professional, collegiate, high school, middle school, and elementary school teams. A fully built out pathway from baby steps to the top of the podium for those who have what it takes to see it through.
There's a method that sometimes gets referred to within the short track community when trying to understand why and how this country became so successful at the sport; the Broken Egg Method. You take a dozen eggs eggs and throw them at the wall. Whichever one doesn't break becomes a World Champion. One can only imagine the amount of pressure that these athletes face to become successful on the world stage.
Enter Kim Gun Woo, the 2018/2019 Overall 1500 meter World Cup Champion. Gun Woo has faced several road blocks over the years and continually turned to the skating rink as his place of solace.
Watch the video below to learn more about his story.
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