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| Lee Jehyeok / Photo: Getty Images |
On March 8 (local time), Lee claimed bronze in the snowboard cross men's SB-LL2 (lower limb impairment) final at the 2026 Milan–Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Paralympics. The event took place at the Para Snowboard Park in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, where Lee finished behind Italy's Emanuele Peratoner and Australia's Ben Tudhope.
This podium finish marks a significant milestone as the first time a South Korean snowboarder has medaled at the Paralympics.
In his second Paralympic appearance, Lee showed remarkable improvement. He had previously been eliminated in the round of 16 at the Beijing 2022 Games.
Lee's journey to the podium began in the qualifiers on March 7, where he clocked 51.74 seconds, securing the sixth spot among 16 competitors and advancing to the main rounds.
The competition format shifted for the main rounds, with four-rider heats where advancement was based on finishing order rather than time.
Demonstrating his skill and determination, Lee won his round-of-16 heat and then secured a second-place finish in the semifinals to earn his spot in the final.
The four-man final proved to be a nail-biter. Lee was in fourth place for much of the race but showcased an impressive late surge to complete a thrilling comeback.
In a heart-stopping moment, Lee nearly collided with Canada's Alex Massie while maneuvering towards the inside of the course. However, he managed to maintain his balance and overtake Massie for the third position.
With this historic achievement under his belt, Lee isn't done yet. He'll be back on the slopes on March 14, aiming for another medal in the banked slalom event.
[Sports Today reporter Shin Seo-young sports@stoo.com]
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