Sochi 2014: The Countdown Series: Republic of Korea

33 days remaining until the opening ceremonies (32 until the first day of competition) at Sochi 2014. Up next on the countdown: Republic of Korea.

Republic of Korea made their winter Olympics debut at St. Moritz 1948. They skipped Oslo 1952, and then returned at Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956, and has since had at least one athlete in the winter games. 45 medals have been won by the South Korean contingent including 23 gold medals.

Republic of Korea has known to be a short track speed skating juggernaut, especially in the winter Olympics. Jeon I-Gyeong (pictured) is the most decorated south Korean athlete in the winter games, as the short track speed skater won four gold medals in her career. She won the 1000m event as well as a gold as a part of the 3000m relay team; all at Lillehammer 1994 and again at Nagano 1998.

Anh Hyeon Su (pictured) won three gold medals himself on the short track. His wins in the 1000m, 1500m and as a part of the 5000m relay team came at Turin 2006. Anh will skate for Russia (the host country) at Sochi. He wasn't the only triple Olympic gold medalist in the winter games. Jin Seon Yu also won three gold medals, and just like Anh, won them on the short track. She won the 1000m, 1500m and as a member of the 3000m relay team, and also at Sochi 2014. Kim Gi Hun also won three gold medals as well, and also on the short track. He won the 1000m and 5000m at Albertville 1992 and the 1000m at Lillehammer 1994.

Four South Koreans won gold twice in the winter games:

• Kim Yun Mi, short track speed skating, women, 3000m relay team member, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998
• Won Hye Gyong, short track speed skating, women, 3000m relay team member, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998
• Choi Eun Gyeong, short track speed skating, women, 3000m relay team member, Salt Lake City 2002 and Turin 2006
• Lee Jeong Su, short track speed skating, men, 1000m and 15000m, Vancouver 2010

For Sochi, ten quota spots for South Korea, including a women's curling team, speed skating, biathlon, and of course--short track speed skating--among others.

The country will be the host for the 2018 winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Up next: Spain

London 2012: The Countdown Series: South Korea

79 days to go until the first day of the London Olympics. Up next on the parade of nations: South Korea (KOR).

South Korea has participated in the summer Olympics since 1948. A total of 215 medals were won by South Korean athletes including 68 gold medals.

A total of ten South Korean athletes won multiple gold medals in the summer games. Archer Kim Soo Nyong (pictured) has the most individual gold medals for South Korea with four. She won gold in the women's individual (archery) at Seoul 1988 and in the women's team (archery) at Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000.

Two South Koreans have won three gold medals each in their Olympic careers, and both are archers. Yun Mi Jin (pictured) won three golds-in the women's individual (archery) at Sydney 2000 and in the women's team (archery) at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. Park Seong Hyon also won three gold medals. She won women's individual (archery) at Athens 2004, and in the women's team at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

The following South Koreans won two gold medals each:

• Cho Yun Jeong (archery)
• Kim Gyeong Uk (archery)
• Kim Dong Mu (badminton)
• Sim Gwon Ho (wrestling)
• Jang Yong Ho (archery)
• Im Dong Hyeon (archery)
• Park Gyeong Mo (archery)

At the team level, women's handball won back to back gold medals at Seoul 1988 and again at Barcelona 1992. Ironically, both golds came by way of victories over Norway in the final.

The baseball team won the final gold medal ever for baseball in the Olympics, defeating Cuba in the final at Beijing 2008. Baseball, along with softball, are not on the plate for London 2012.

As of now, 191 South Korean athletes are headed to London to compete in 18 events, including athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, taekwondo, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling. In addition, these teams have also qualified for the London games as well:

• men's (field) hockey
• women's (field) hockey
• men's handball
• women's handball
• men's football (soccer)

South Korea was the host country of the 1988 summer games in Seoul.

Up next: Spain

IAAF World Championships in Athletics: 13th Edition, starts Saturday!

Berlin 2009. Usain Bolt with two world records. Even a pose with Berlino afterwards. The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was all about Berlino. Some celebrated with him, some didn't.

Now it's the 13th edition of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics at Daegu, South Korea, which begins Saturday morning (Friday night here in the states), and who knows how many world records will fall this year?

In the US, Universal Sports and NBC will have coverage. Universal Sports will most likely have live coverage, whilst NBC has four days of coverage beginning Saturday at 12:30pm Central, on tape delay basis, similar to the swimming portion of the FINA World Championships at Shanghai last month.

And the 2018 Winter Olympics Goes to...

The city of Pyeongchang, South Korea! The city was one of a few cities that tried to outbid Sochi, Russia for 2014, finally got their wish. The city beat out two others for the hosting, and the IOC announced Wednesday that it will get the 2018 games. Read the story here.

My take on all of this: South Korea's men and women's ice hockey will have a tough time against powers such as USA, Canada, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Also on the men's side, will the IIHF continue to let NHL players play in the Olympics? The IIHF will continue to do so for Sochi, but for Pyeongyang, that's a different story.