Andrew Heo

Other information

OLYMPIC 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)

www.facebook.com/officialandrewheo
twitter.com/heo_andrew

Sporting philosophy / motto	"Trust the process." (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)
Memorable sporting achievement	Competing at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)
Most influential person in career	His family. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)
Ambitions	To win a medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (Athlete, 09 Feb 2023; teamusa.org, 12 Feb 2022)
Awards and honours	The 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)

Name of coach

Stephen Gough [national], CAN; Frederic Blackburn [national], CAN

Hobbies	Playing video games, photography. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)
Injuries	He 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 / Beliefs	He 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 relatives	His 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)

Reason for choosing this sport

He 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.

Hero / Idol

US short track skater John Celski, US basketball player Kobe Bryant. (Athlete, 12 Dec 2023)

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.