[Courtesy of Russian Biathlon Union]
Russian female biathlete Ekaterina Avvakumova has acquired special citizenship to represent South Korea at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang.
The 26-year-old became the third foreign biathlete to compete for South Korea in international events, the Korea Biathlon Union said, adding another Russian male biathlete, Timofei Lapshin, is waiting for final approval from immigration authorities.
Avvakumova finished second in the pursuit race at the 2015 Universiade and won silver in the mass start at the Russian Biathlon Championship in 2016.
South Korea allows foreigners with special talents in specific areas such as science, culture and sports to be fast-tracked to citizenship. Using fast-track naturalization, sports federations have scouted a number of foreign winter sports players who will compete in Pyeongchang.
Last year, two Russian-born biathletes, Alexander Starodubets and Anna Frolina, acquired South Korean passports.
Other naturalized players included two American figure skaters -- Alexander Gamelin, an ice dance partner for Min Yu-ra, and Themistocles Lefttheris, a pairs partner for Ji Min-ji. The two teams have been skating together at the International Skating Union events, and they have a chance to compete in Pyeongchang.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
