Eun-Bi BAK

Like many Korean skaters, Baek Eun-Bi skated fast while she was still very young. She participated in her first World Junior Championships in 1993, when she was still only 13. The following year, she qualified for the Olympic 3,000 m, in which she placed 23rd. In the following years, Baek improved her results in the World Junior Championships, taking part six times in all. In the 1997 tournament she won the silver medal, behind Kirstin Holum. She again qualified for the Olympics in 1998, and again placed 23rd in the 3,000 m (and 25th in the 1,500 m).

Among the seniors, Baeg never achieved any impressive results. In 2000, she qualified for the World Championships but placed next-to-last, and again ended up in the lower half of the field at the 2002 Olympics. In the 2002/03 season, she qualified for the A Group in the 1,500 and 3,000 m, in her preparation for the Asian Winter Games in Aomori. There, she performed well, and won two medals, silver in the 3,000 m and bronze in the 1,500 m. However, days after the 1,500 m, it was announced that traces of strychnine had been found in her urine sample after the 1,500 m. Baek appeared to have taken a medicine for a stomach ache after her silver medal, which contained the drug. As strychnine is hardly ever used nowadays as a performance-enhancing drug, and Baek was clean in the 3,000 m, the Olympic Council of Asia decided to let her off with a warning. Baek was Korean Allround Champion in 1995, 2001 and 2002.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.02 (1999); 1000 – 1:19.63 (1999); 1500 – 1:59.54 (2000); 3000 – 4:09.91 (2000); 5000 – 7:13.60 (2000).