GANGNEUNG, South Korea — It was the third heat of the opening night, with both a South Korean and a North Korean in the field, when the short-track speedskating competition established itself as the place to be for the Winter Olympics.
Like a thunderbolt from a cloud, a previously quiet audience of 12,000 at Gangneung Ice Arena burst to be noticed when the South Korean skater Hwang Dae-heon was introduced for the men’s 1,500-meter race. Fans held the anticipation level at midfrenzy as the North Korean Choe Un-song and four others joined him at the starting line.
The crowd was hushed for the starting gun with a “shhh” from the public-address system, then built itself up again as the six skaters spun in counterclockwise ovals.