Additional Information
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location |
|---|
| Olympic Winter Games |
| 1 | 1000 m | 2006 | Torino, ITA |
| 1 | 1500 m | 2006 | Torino, ITA |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2006 | Torino, ITA |
| 3 | 500 m | 2006 | Torino, ITA |
| 4 | 1000 m | 2002 | Salt Lake City, UT, USA |
| 13 | 1500 m | 2002 | Salt Lake City, UT, USA |
| DSQ | 5000 m Relay | 2002 | Salt Lake City, UT, USA |
| World Championships |
| 1 | 1000 m | 2007 | Milan, ITA |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2007 | Milan, ITA |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2007 | Milan, ITA |
| 1 | 1000 m | 2006 | Minneapolis, MN, USA |
| 1 | 1500 m | 2006 | Minneapolis, MN, USA |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2006 | Minneapolis, MN, USA |
| 1 | 1500 m | 2005 | Beijing, CHN |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2005 | Beijing, CHN |
| 1 | 1000 m | 2004 | Gothenburg, SWE |
| 1 | 1500 m | 2004 | Gothenburg, SWE |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2004 | Gothenburg, SWE |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2004 | Gothenburg, SWE |
| 1 | 1500 m | 2003 | Warsaw, POL |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2003 | Warsaw, POL |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2003 | Warsaw, POL |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2002 | Montreal, QC, CAN |
| 2 | 500 m | 2013 | Debrecen, HUN |
| 2 | 5000 m Relay | 2013 | Debrecen, HUN |
| 2 | 1000 m | 2005 | Beijing, CHN |
| 2 | 5000 m Relay | 2005 | Beijing, CHN |
| 2 | 1000 m | 2003 | Warsaw, POL |
| 2 | 1000 m | 2002 | Montreal, QC, CAN |
| 2 | Individual Final Classification | 2002 | Montreal, QC, CAN |
| 3 | 500 m | 2007 | Milan, ITA |
| 3 | 1500 m | 2007 | Milan, ITA |
| 3 | 500 m | 2005 | Beijing, CHN |
| 4 | 1000 m | 2013 | Debrecen, HUN |
| 5 | 5000 m Relay | 2012 | Shanghai, CHN |
| 6 | Individual Final Classification | 2013 | Debrecen, HUN |
| 42 | 1500 m | 2013 | Debrecen, HUN |
| World Team Championships |
| 1 | Team | 2006 | Montreal, QC, CAN |
| 1 | Team | 2004 | St. Petersburg, RUS |
| 2 | Team | 2007 | Budapest, HUN |
| 2 | Team | 2003 | Sofia, BUL |
| 3 | Team | 2002 | Milwaukee, WI, USA |
| World Cup Rankings overview - displays all rankings from 2010/11, top three for earlier seasons |
| Season | 500m | 1000m | 1500m | Overall |
|---|
| 2013/2014 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - |
| 2012/2013 | - | 2 | 2 | - |
| 2007/2008 | - | 1 | 2 | - |
| 2005/2006 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2004/2005 | - | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2003/2004 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002/2003 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Best performance per season in World Cup events from 2010/2011 |
| Season | 500m | 1000m | 1500m | Relay |
|---|
| 2013/2014 | 2 x 1st | 2 x 2nd | 1 x 2nd | 2 x 2nd |
| 2012/2013 | - | 2 x 1st | 1 x 1st | 1 x 1st |
| 2011/2012 | - | - | - | 1 x 4th |
| Rank | Event | Year | Location |
|---|
| Ten best World Cup performances in current season |
| 1 | 500 m | 2013/2014 | Kolomna, RUS |
| 1 | 500 m | 2013/2014 | Seoul, KOR |
| 2 | 500 m | 2013/2014 | Torino, ITA |
| 2 | 1000 m | 2013/2014 | Torino, ITA |
| 2 | 1000 m | 2013/2014 | Seoul, KOR |
| 2 | 1500 m | 2013/2014 | Kolomna, RUS |
| 2 | 5000 m Relay | 2013/2014 | Kolomna, RUS |
| 2 | 5000 m Relay | 2013/2014 | Torino, ITA |
| 3 | 1500 m | 2013/2014 | Seoul, KOR |
| 3 | 1500 m | 2013/2014 | Shanghai, CHN |
| European Championships |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2014 | Dresden, GER |
| 1 | Individual Final Classification | 2014 | Dresden, GER |
| 1 | 5000 m Relay | 2013 | Malmo, SWE |
| 4 | Individual Final Classification | 2013 | Malmo, SWE |
LegendDNS-Did not start, DNF-Did not finish, DSQ-Disqualified
- Nickname: Janus [because he looks like a young boy, but when he starts skating he changes]. (cafe.daum.net, 21 Feb 2005)
- Hobbies: Watching movies, listening to music, reading books about psychology, travelling, shopping, cars, sports. (NOC Media Guide, 2014; championat.com, 17 Feb 2013; russkating.ru, 16 Jan 2014)
- Education: Korea National Sport University, Korea
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean
- Coach: Sebastien Cros (FRA) (russkating.ru, 16 Jan 2014)
- Injuries: In 2008 he crashed into a wall during training and suffered a knee injury that nearly ended his career. He underwent four operations over the course of 15 months but, despite having recovered in time to compete, he was not selected for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (washingtonpost.com, 17 Feb 2014; koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com, 30 Dec 2011)
- Previous Names: Ahn Hyun-Soo; Viktor Ahn
- Occupation: Athlete, Student
- Family: Wife Nari
- Club Name: Central Sports Army Club [CSKA], Moscow, RUS
- Debut: 2002 for Korea, Olympic Games (Salt Lake City, UT) (cafe.daum.net, 10 May 2011)
- Previous Olympics: Torino 2006, Salt Lake City 2002
Additional Information
Start of sporting career
He took up the sport in primary school. (article.joins.com, 14 Jun 2013)
Reason for taking up this sport
He was inspired by the performance of Korean short track skater Chae Ji-Hoon at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, and asked his parents if he could begin practising. (aif.ru, 24 Dec 2013)
Ambitions
To win individual gold and a relay medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (russiasport.ru, 30 Oct 2013)
Hero
Korean skater Chae Ji-Hoon and Swiss tennis player Roger Federer. (cafe.daum, 22 Feb 2005; NOC Media Guide, 2014)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"No pain, no gain." (championat.com, 17 Feb 2013)
Awards
He holds the title of Honoured Master of Sport in Russia. (infosport.ru, 25 Dec 2013)
General
FIRSTS
His victory in the 1000m at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi made him the first male short track skater to win four Olympic gold medals. He finished top of the 2013/14 World Cup rankings for the 500m, becoming the first Russian to win a World Cup title. (sovsport.ru, 17 Nov 2013; SportsDeskOnline, 16 Feb 2014)
FROM KOREA TO RUSSIA
Initially competing for Korea, he decided to change his allegiance after he did not qualify for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. He was given Russian citizenship in 2011. His contract with the Russian Skating Union runs out in 2014, but he hopes to compete for Russia at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. He also wants to coach Russian short track skaters in the future. "Russia offered me the best conditions from all possible options. I came here as I needed a good atmosphere to train in calmly, and I found it here." (washingtonpost.com, 17 Feb 2014; aif.ru, 24 Dec 2013; sport-express.ru, 09 Sep 2013; sovsport.ru, 14 Nov 2013)
FAMOUS NAME
He chose Victor as his Russian name in honour of Korean-Soviet rock star Viktor Tsoi, and because it is similar to the word 'victory'. (washingtonpost.com, 17 Feb 2014)
MOVING TO RUSSIA
He is happy in the Russian team and although he speaks Russian, prefers to use an interpreter for interviews. "Our team is one family. Everyone helps me if I have any questions. I still feel a bit shy [talking in Russian]. I can understand everything but I am not confident enough to give a long interview." (sport-express.ru, 09 Sep 2013; sovsport.ru, 14 Nov 2013)
POST-RACE REFLECTION
He prefers to give interviews after the race, rather than before. (sport-express.ru, 09 Sep 2013; sovsport.ru, 14 Nov 2013)