Short track speed skating first became an official Olympic event in 1992 at the Albertville Games in France. It is a skating event in which athletes compete against each other instead of the clock.

The Rules of the Game
Skaters race in packs of four and try to outskate one another on an indoor oval-shaped track. Racers line up side by side for the start, but they can pass each other at any time. Skaters speed around the track counter-clockwise and the first two competitors to cross the finish line advance to the next round. The elimination process continues until a gold, silver and bronze medal are won.

There are three lengths of individual races: 500 meter, 1,000 meter and 1,500 meter. The relay race is filled with constant passing and spills. Each team has four skaters. While the same skater must skate the final two laps, team members can otherwise exchange places at any time in any order as long as the skaters touch each other.

Short track can be a very dangerous sport due to the number of skaters racing on the ice at once. To protect themselves from crashes and falls, skaters gear up with gloves, plastic helmets and knee, shin and neck guards. They also wear skin-tight bodysuits and special skates with sharp blades that help them grip the ice around turns.

By Taylor Lasley