Australian Winter Olympic hopeful Hyojin Kim details citizenship battle after rejection

Winter Olympics hopeful Hyojin Kim says she is racing the clock to be eligible to represent Australia after her citizenship application was refused.

The short track speed skater was born in South Korea but has long been representing Australia, including at the 2022 World Championships in Montreal.

Taking to LinkedIn on Monday, Kim said she was "devastated" that her journey towards Milano Cortina 2026 had suffered an enormous setback.

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She said she was granted permanent residency in July, but, as per the Olympic charter, she must be a citizen in order to represent Australia. She said she applied for citizenship in October and learned on December 15 that her application had been refused.

The process has been made difficult by the fact Kim says she has been forced to live and train overseas to compete at World Cup and World Championship events due to Australia's limited resources.

"I have spent extended periods living abroad, moving between training bases and competitions, solely to remain competitive and to earn results for Australia," she wrote.

"Australia currently has only one international-level female short track speed skater. That meant no team depth, no shared strategy, and no margin for error. I competed alone, race after race, against the strongest athletes in the world."

Through October, November and December, Kim represented Australia at world tour events and "fought my way into an Olympic quota position". Kim's qualification was in the 1000 metre event where each National Olympic Committee can earn up to three quota places, but Australia earned just one.

"The quota was secured," she wrote.

When her citizenship application was rejected, "I was devastated", she said.

She said she is prepared to pause her overseas training in order to return to Australia, "not because it is the easiest option — but because I want to show my commitment in person".

"I want decision-makers to see my resolve, my sincerity, and how deeply I wish to represent Australia — not just in uniform, but as a citizen," she said.

"Time is extremely limited."

Kim said Australia had to confirm to the International Skating Union (ISU) by January 16 if it intended to accept or decline unused quotas. The ISU will update final Olympic quota allocations by country on January 23, she said.

"As Australia's only female international short track skater, as an immigrant who has committed years of work, sacrifice, and results to this country, I have fought hard and endured quietly," she wrote.

"If citizenship cannot be resolved in time and I am ultimately unable to compete at the Olympic Games, I still hope that my story is seen and understood. Not for sympathy — but for recognition of what it truly takes to earn an Olympic quota, and how fragile that opportunity can be when timing and systems fall out of alignment."

Kim has previously said she has competed for Australia whilst on a student visa.

A Department for Home Affairs spokesperson said it does not comment on individual cases.