It happened again at the Winter Olympics, but this time Apolo Ohno wasn’t involved in the controversy like he was 8 years ago in Salt Lake City. The South Korean woman’s speed skating team thought they had won the 3,000-meter short-track relay, which would have earned South Korea a record fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. They were so elated that they skated around the rink with the Korean flag waving. However, things became pretty ominous as the judges were watching replays of a critical interaction with a Korean skater and a Chinese skater.  After deliberations, the South Korean team was disqualified for apparently impeding the Chinese skater, and all of the teams behind the Koreans were moved up one spot, including the U.S. team which ended up with the surprise bronze medal.  Officials later said they were disqualified for clicking skates with China just after an exchange with five laps to go. Kim was in the lead when her left skate blade hit the right blade of China’s Sun Linlin. The Chinese team jumped for joy as they stood next to the Korean coach who was being told by the judges of their ruling. Drats! Another disqualification and controversy at the Olympics for the Korean speed skating team.

“I don’t know what the reason is,” said team member Kim Min-Jung. “I don’t have any clue what the referee was saying. It doesn’t make any sense at all.”

LPGA golfer Christina Kim showed up on The Golf Channel’s the Golf Fix with Michael Breed last week to share a few of her swing tips.  She’s gearing up for the new golf season and it starts this week in Thailand as the LPGA kicks off its 2010 season.  Before Christina hit a golf ball in Thailand, she IM’d an interview with Golf.com to talk about the off season and the future.

What have you been up to in the offseason?
Everything from working hard on my short game, trying new clubs, partying with friends, traveling to places, and playing around with social media.

You partied a lot. Clubs? House parties?
I didn’t go mad crazy partying all the time. Hahaha!!! Clubs, house parties, a lot of just chillin’ at friends’ places — that’s more accurate.

Let’s talk about the LPGA Tour. What do you see happening this year out there for yourself and the tour?
I see both myself and the LPGA Tour taking over by storm. I’m so stoked for the new season. The LPGA is rising again after a brief lull, and the world is ready for something new to stumble upon.

For the full interview, go to golf.com.

You just never know in short track speed skating until everyone’s crossed the finish line or if they even cross the finish line.  In one of the most thrilling finishes in my narrow understanding of short track speed skating, the finals of the 1500M short track race was set up for a South Korean sweep as three skaters from South Korea were bunched together  making the final turn towards the finish line.  Meters behind them was Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski as there was a significant gap between the Korean bunch and the Americans.  However, a mishap by one of the Korean skaters undercut his countryman and both slipped coming out of the last turn.  Was it simply bad luck or bad skating tactics?  I certainly can’t say because I never lace the skates up but the devastatingly surprise ending for the two Korean kids opened a door for Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski to cruise into 2nd and 3rd place.  Lee Jung Su of South Korea did end up winning the gold medal but I’m sure the South Korean contingency had quite a volatile evening in their recap of what happened.  Adding salt to the wound is the fact that Apolo Ohno ended up winning the silver medal and we all know that he has an adversarial history with South Korea in short track speed skating.  It’s never been truer in in any sport than in short track speed skating that it’s “never over till it’s over.”  How about them Olympics!

Go to NBCOlympics.com to watch the stunning finish.

Not sure if this is a bummer because people have very mixed feelings about the Korea’s marching together at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games.  On one hand, it’s very symbolic and hopeful that the Korea’s could someday be united.  However, do you want to deal with one of the worst dictators in the world and play nice?  Quite the dilemma.

Previous to this year, Korean athletes had marched together at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, extending a tradition that started at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and continued at the 2004 Athens Olympics.  However, the two teams did not march together in Beijing in 2008.

South Korea has 46 athletes entered for the Vancouver Games.  North Korea has two: one each in figure skating and speed skating.

Source: NBC Olympics