"As an Olympic athlete, I've long dreamed of running in the torch relay," Lee said after running some 200m with the torch. "It's a huge honor, and to do it for the country makes it extra special."

Lee is the world record holder in the 500m with a time of 36.36 seconds. She's trying to become only the second skater, after Bonnie Blair of the United States, to win three consecutive Olympic titles in the women's 500m. And Lee would be the first to pull off the trifecta eight years apart; Blair won her second and third gold medals at Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994.

"I think it's going to be fun to compete in the Olympics at home, though it will also be nerve-racking," Lee said. "Obviously, I'd love to win the gold medal at home. But first, I'd like to post good results in the upcoming World Cup season and try to improve my form over the course of the season." (Yonhap)