Fast, faster, fastest! Short Track is all about speed and strategic thinking. Although the Korean and Chinese skaters often excel at the FISU World University Games, they are challenged by athletes from many other countries. A need for speed? Check out short track!

The History of Short Track Speed Skating in FISU

Short Track Speed Skating was first added to the sports programme of the Winter Universiade at the 12th edition in 1985 in Belluno, Italy. Ten men’s teams and nine women’s teams, with a total of 58 athletes, battled for the gold. In the men’s competition the Canadians grabbed the gold in both the team and individual events. On the women's side, the Americans won the gold.

Today, the strongest teams come from Asia (China, Japan, Korea), the athletes from which regularly reach the podium places in almost all Short Track Speed Skating distances. FISU Games medallists are also well decorated at international events, such as Choi Min-jeong (KOR) who won four gold medals at the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games and is a multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medalist. Short Track Speed Skating is a spectacular event which requires no special infrastructure as any ice hockey arena with dimensions corresponding to the international standards will be suitable. This discipline was recognised by the IOC as a full-fledged Olympic sport in 1992 and thanks to good cooperation with the International Skating Union (ISU) FISU closely follows the evolution of this sport to develop the competition programme. 

Highlights day 8 I Short Track Speed Skating Mixed Team Relay
Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games

Highlights day 9 I Short Track Speed Skating 1000m W/M
Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games

Previous Events

• 2023 - FISU World University Games - Lake Placid (USA)

• 2019 - 29th Winter Universiade – Krasnoyarsk (RUS)

• 2017 - 28th Winter Universiade – Almaty (KAZ)

• 2015 - 27th Winter Universiade – Granada (ESP)

• 2013 - 26th Winter Universiade – Trentino (ITA)

• 2011 - 25th Winter Universiade – Erzurum (TUR)

• 2009 - 24th Winter Universiade – Harbin (CHN)

• 2007 - 23rd Winter Universiade – Torino (ITA)

• 2005 - 22nd Winter Universiade – Innsbruck (AUT)

• 2003 - 21st Winter Universiade – Tarvisio (ITA)

• 2001 - 20th Winter Universiade – Zakopane (POL)

• 1999 - 19th Winter Universiade – Poprad/Tatry (SVK)

• 1997 - 18th Winter Universiade – Chonju/Muju (KOR)

• 1995 - 17th Winter Universiade – Jaca (ESP)

• 1993 - 16th Winter Universiade – Zakopane (POL)

• 1991 - 15th Winter Universiade – Sapporo (JPN)

• 1989 - 14th Winter Universiade – Sofia (BUL)

• 1985 - 12th Winter Universiade – Belluno (ITA)