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Andrew Heo

United States

SportShort Track
FederationIDSTUSA10703200101
NOCUnited States
Born07 Mar 2001 in Philadelphia, PA 
GenderMen
ResidenceSalt Lake City, UT, USA
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesEnglish, Korean
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 40.299 04 Nov 2023 Laval  
    1000m 1:22.607 12 Nov 2022 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1500m 2:11.514 10 Feb 2024 Dresden  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
World Championships
Event  
World Championships
    2000m Relay     1  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationOLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
Having placed seventh in the 1000m at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, he feels that his confidence got a boost after his performance at the Games. "Just to place seventh at my first Olympics, after the results I had at the World Cups, definitely means a lot. I'm very proud of that. It was something that I was not expecting, especially for the 1000m. There's nothing more I could have asked for. Definitely, this helps propel my career. It helps the confidence, knowing I have this under my belt, doing well at my first Olympics. I really struggled with that, knowing I belong there and racing like I was meant to be there. Moving forward, I can trust I have the ability to do whatever I need to do, at a certain time, and am able to adapt. My Olympics in Beijing made me want to keep doing it and hopefully go for the medal next time." (teamusa.org, 12 Feb 2022)

UTAH MOVE
At age 15, he and his brother Aaron relocated to Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America, to train at the Utah Olympic Oval with US Speedskating's Facilitated Athlete Sport Training [FAST] development programme. The brothers moved there with their mother. "My parents had dedicated their lives to us to support us and give us what we needed. It really is awesome. Because it was a huge financial commitment to have a home in Utah and back home, I made a promise to them that if I didn't get better, I'd go back to Pennsylvania." (teamusa.org, 13 Dec 2019)

KOREAN HERITAGE
Both his parents were born in the Republic of Korea and moved to the United States of America when they were young. Korean was Andrew's first language but he started to lose it as a child. "Then a few years ago I was randomly sitting in a restaurant and started remembering how to read it and what the letters and characters were. Ever since then I've been slowly getting better at it. After I started going to international competitions, I made Korean friends and I've been talking to them trying to have conversations. I'm pretty good at writing and reading it. Speaking it I'm still a little iffy. I want to get to the point where I can speak and understand it." (teamusa.org, 16 Mar 2021, 13 Dec 2019)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/officialandrewheo  
twitter.com/heo_andrew  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Trust the process." (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)  
Memorable sporting achievementCompeting at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)  
Most influential person in careerHis family. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)  
AmbitionsTo win a medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023; teamusa.org, 12 Feb 2022)  
Awards and honoursThe Warrington Township Board of Supervisors in Pennsylvania, United States of America, declared September 2022 'Andrew Heo Month' in recognition of his performance at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (warringtontownship.org, 02 Sep 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachStephen Gough [national], CAN; Frederic Blackburn [national], CAN  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesPlaying video games, photography. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)  
InjuriesHe sustained a concussion during the 2022/23 season. (Instagram profile, 22 Mar 2023)

In 2021 he injured his left shin and needed one month to recover. (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023)

He sustained a seven-centimetre wound to his left forearm as the result of an accident during training in 2019. He required three months of recovery. (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023; teamusa.org, 13 Dec 2019)
 
Superstitions / Rituals / BeliefsHe puts on his left skate first. Prior to competing he looks at a scar on his left forearm that he sustained in a training accident in 2019. "My dad told me to look at my scar because it shows the hard work I've done to get here. Before a race I'll look at my scar and it's a reminder to be strong." (Athlete, 10 Feb 2023; teamusa.org, 13 Dec 2019)  
Famous relativesHis older brother Aaron Heo has represented the United States of America in short track. He made his World Cup debut in 2018. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023; SportsDeskOnline, 10 Nov 2021)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportHe joined his cousins and his brother at Potomac Speedskating Club, but initially he would bring his inline skates because he was intimidated by the speed skating coach. Eventually he was convinced to try skating on the ice.  
General Interest
General Interest
Hero / IdolUS short track skater John Celski, US basketball player Kobe Bryant. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?He took up the sport in 2008 at Potomac Speedskating Club in Maryland, United States of America.  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2022/2023 Four Continents Championships 2000m Relay1  
    2023/2024 Four Continents Championships 2000m Relay2  
    2022/2023 Four Continents Championships 500m2  
    2023/2024 Four Continents Championships 500m3  
    2019/2020 Four Continents Championships 5000m Relay3  
    2019/2020 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay4  
    2017/2018 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay5  
    2020/2021 World Championships 5000m Relay7  
    2022/2023 World Championships 2000m Relay7  
    2022 Olympic Games 1000m7  
    2023/2024 World Championships 5000m Relay8  
    2022 Olympic Games 2000m Relay8  
    2022/2023 World Championships 5000m Relay10  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1500m12  
    2020/2021 World Championships Overall19  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1000m20  
    2023/2024 World Championships 1500m21  
    2020/2021 World Championships 500m26  
    2022 Olympic Games 1500m28  
    2019/2020 World Junior Championships 1500m39  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2023/2024 Dresden 2000m Relay1  
    2023/2024 Seoul 2000m Relay3  
    2022/2023 Salt Lake City, UT 2000m Relay3  
    2023/2024 Beijing 2000m Relay3  
    2023/2024 Dresden 5000m Relay4  
    2023/2024 Dresden 1500m4  
    2023/2024 Gdansk 5000m Relay6  
    2019/2020 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay7  
    2023/2024 Gdansk 2000m Relay7  
    2023/2024 Gdansk 500m8  
    2023/2024 Gdansk 500m8  
    2022/2023 Salt Lake City, UT 5000m Relay8  
    2022/2023 Dresden 2000m Relay9  
    2023/2024 Dresden 500m10  
    2019/2020 Shanghai 5000m Relay10  
    2019/2020 Dresden 5000m Relay10  
    2022/2023 Dresden 5000m Relay12  
    2019/2020 Shanghai 1500m12  
    2022/2023 Salt Lake City, UT 500m15  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 500m19  
    2019/2020 Dresden 1500m19  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1500m21  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1500m25  
    2022/2023 Salt Lake City, UT 1500m27  
    2022/2023 Dresden 1500m28  
    2019/2020 Salt Lake City, UT 1000m32  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification Overall35  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1500m37  
    2019/2020 Dresden 1000m38  
    2022/2023 Dresden 500m39  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 500m41  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1000m44  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 500m45  
    2018/2019 Dresden 1000m45  
    2019/2020 Salt Lake City, UT 500m47  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1000m53  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1000m56  
    2018/2019 Dresden 1000m56  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification Overall64  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 500m76  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1000m129  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 500m131