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Liam O'Brien

Ireland

SportShort Track
FederationIDSTAUS11911199801
NOCIreland
Born19 Nov 1998 in Sydney 
GenderMen
OccupationAthlete
LanguagesEnglish, French, Italian, Korean, Spanish
ResidenceSeongnam, KOR
Higher educationLanguage Studies - Dankook University: Republic of Korea
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 42.212 18 Dec 2022 Almaty  
    1000m 1:26.218 27 Oct 2023 Montreal  
    1500m 2:15.543 10 Mar 2023 Seoul  
    3000m 5:16.730 31 Aug 2013 Melbourne  
General Interest
General Interest
Famous relativesHis sister Danielle has represented Australia in figure skating. She and Greg Merriman were ranked 20th in ice dance at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. (SportsDeskOnline, 28 Nov 2016; burwoodscene.com.au, 23 Jul 2014)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sportHis sister Danielle was a figure skater, and he followed her into the sport before switching to speed skating. "From the first time I tried speed skating, I knew this was for me. It was just so fast, so thrilling. It was just a lot more exciting. I just love going fast and trying to improve every time I step onto the ice."  
When and where did you begin this sport?He began skating at age six in Sydney, NSW, Australia.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"We're not here to take part. We're here to take over." [Conor McGregor] (isai.ie, 01 Sep 2019)  
Hero / IdolRussian short track skater Victor An. (isai.ie, 01 Sep 2019)  
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/liam.obrien.399  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Training RegimeHe trains in Seongnam, Republic of Korea.  
General Interest
General Interest
Other informationTRAINING IN KOREA
In December 2019 he moved to the Republic of Korea. He had previously had several spells training in the country. "Short track is so big in Korea that at almost every training centre, there are athletes good enough to go to the Olympics. And only three will get the nod in any discipline. For every three skaters that are selected to go to the worlds or Olympics for Korea, there are probably another 100 who are just as good. Someone who wins gold one year could miss out on the team the next. So when you are in that environment with that huge pool of talent, it is only going to bring you on and improve you as a skater. That's why Korea has always been the go-to place." (Instagram profile, 24 Mar 2023; isai.ie, 04 Mar 2023, 09 Aug 2022; extra.ie, 21 Feb 2021; ISU Short Track Facebook page, 11 Apr 2021)

AUSTRALIA TO IRELAND
He was born in Sydney, NSW, Australia, to Irish parents. He represented Australia in short track before switching to Ireland, and made his debut as a member of the Irish team at the 2021 European Championships in Gdansk, Poland. "It was something that my mum and dad had always talked about, getting us to represent Ireland. Initially, speed skating wasn't part of the federation, but when dad ran into Karen [O'Sullivan, president of the Ice Skating Association of Ireland] in Sydney, she said there were plans to do that. When the opportunity came to represent Ireland, I took it straight away. My parents are so honoured by the fact that I am out there, representing Ireland. Mum has said that she can sleep easily at night now." (rte.ie, 27 Feb 2021; extra.ie, 21 Feb 2021; SportsDeskOnline, 01 Feb 2021; isai.ie, 21 Jan 2021, 15 Dec 2020)

EDUCATION SWITCH
In 2017 he began studying for a degree in actuarial studies and commerce at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He left the course in 2019 to begin training in the Republic of Korea. In 2020 he began studying Korean language at Dankook University, where he graduated in 2022. (LinkedIn profile, 13 Dec 2022; ISU Short Track Facebook page, 11 Apr 2021)
 
InjuriesInjuries and a COVID-19 infection affected him during the 2021/22 season. (isai.ie, 09 Aug 2022)  
AmbitionsTo compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (Instagram profile, 24 Mar 2023)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2017/2018 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay6  
    2016/2017 World Junior Championships 3000m Relay9  
    2022/2023 European Championships 1500m17  
    2023/2024 European Championships 1000m19  
    2020/2021 European Championships 1500m23  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1500m25  
    2023/2024 World Championships 1000m25  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1500m25  
    2020/2021 European Championships Overall25  
    2020/2021 European Championships 500m27  
    2020/2021 European Championships 1000m28  
    2023/2024 European Championships 500m29  
    2017/2018 World Junior Championships Overall29  
    2020/2021 World Championships Overall29  
    2020/2021 World Championships 500m32  
    2020/2021 World Championships 1000m33  
    2023/2024 European Championships 1500m34  
    2022/2023 World Championships 1500m34  
    2023/2024 World Championships 500m35  
    2022/2023 World Championships 1000m36  
    2021/2022 World Championships Overall37  
    2021/2022 World Championships 500m37  
    2022/2023 World Championships 500m37  
    2022/2023 European Championships 500m42  
    2023/2024 World Championships 1500m43  
    2021/2022 World Championships 1000m44  
    2016/2017 World Junior Championships Overall72  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2015/2016 Dresden 5000m Relay14  
    2016/2017 Dresden 5000m Relay16  
    2022/2023 Almaty 1500m18  
    2018/2019 Dresden 1500m25  
    2022/2023 Almaty 500m29  
    2016/2017 Dresden 1500m38  
    2015/2016 Dresden 500m41  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1500m43  
    2022/2023 Almaty 1000m43  
    2015/2016 Dresden 1500m43  
    2018/2019 Dresden 1000m44  
    2016/2017 Dresden 1000m45  
    2022/2023 Almaty 1500m46  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1500m56  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1000m57  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1500m64  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 500m66  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1000m66  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 1000m67  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification Overall85  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification Overall90  
    2017/2018 World Cup Classification 1500m111  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 500m119  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 500m121  
    2016/2017 World Cup Classification 1500m123  
    2015/2016 World Cup Classification 1500m129  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1000m136  
    2016/2017 World Cup Classification 1000m156