After the Winter Sochi Olympic Games many learned who such Victor Ahn, argued why he suddenly took out the Russian citizenship, and rejoiced that he brought to Russia the huge number of gold medals. It was necessary only to deal with short track - that sport in which he gained these victories.
The short track is one of disciplines of speed skating, representing high-speed passing of the certain distance on special skates. The name of discipline is defined by the fact that competitions take place on the short track (short track).
From history
Speed skating per se competitions take place at specialized stadiums which represent the construction length more football field. To make conditions for holding races on skates more democratic, at the end of XIX – the beginning of the 20th century there is the new discipline – short track, competitions in which could be held on the ordinary hockey rink.
Americans and Canadians who in 1915 organized the first international tournament on this sport are considered as "parents" of this discipline. The first championships in the countries took place in 1905 in Canada and America, and competitions came to Europe in 1914, and they passed in England. The International Skating Union took development of short track under the control in 1967, later the special committee dealing with issues of this sport is organized there. At the Olympic Games in Calgary in 1988 the short track appeared indicative sport, and since 1992 it becomes the integral part of the winter Olympic Games.
Rules
Runnings in short track are held on the track in the usual hockey box. Length of the oval ice track is 111.12 m. Turns define so that internal radius was 8 m. In short track the athletes always move counterclockwise. Individual runnings at men and women are held on 500, 1000 and 1500 m, the relay distance at women makes 3000 m, and men have 5000 m. For short track quite tough rules as at the small distance in small space there takes place very close fight are defined. During the competitions it is forbidden to prevent passing of the distance by the opponent, to cut off the designated distance, to throw out the leg forward on the finish, to cut faster opponents and also to push members of the team (the exception – at relay exchange). Also there are rules for those who were overtaken more than on the circle. But anyway observance of all rules is monitored by the referee who can impose sentence, remove from the distance or transfer the athlete's running to final qualification if he was brought down, for example.
Clothes and footwear
The clothes for occupations short track consist of the special skin suit from elastic material in which inserts for protection of injury-causing places and also the helmet, gloves and shinguard on shins and knees are provided. On the left glove there are special stickers on finger-tips that them it was possible in need of time of turn to lean on ice. On the neck the safety padding is surely used. Short track skates are thought also up special. The fad is strictly connected with the boot, and the edge is slightly shifted from the central line of the boot to the left. It is made especially for that at turns it was almost possible not to reduce speed and to undergo them, nestling on ice.