Team Russia's Viktor Ahn will go for gold in the men's 1,500-meter short skate after finishing second in the short track qualifiers.
Ahn, a three-time Olympic champion, will take to the ice at 16:05 on Monday after posting a time of 2:16:000 in the semi-finals.
The skater — a native of Seoul, South Korea — competed for years under his home flag, before switching nationalities in 2011, citing conflicts and a lack of support from his management team. It was during this time that Ahn changed his name from Hyun Soo to the more Russian-sounding "Viktor."
"It was my father who searched the Internet for a possible destination … I could have moved to America but ended up" in Russia. "Please, don't get me wrong — I have no regrets," Ahn said, Reuters reported.
Russia is hoping that the inclusion of Ahn will significantly boost their medal prospects in the short-track skate, having only ever won one Olympic medal in the event.
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