Brimming with confidence, speed skating world record holder Lee Sang-hwa said Friday she is looking forward to enjoying herself in her Olympic title defense in Russia next year.

During a short break from her practice at the National Training Center in northern Seoul, the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 500 meters said the 2014 Sochi Winter Games will be “a festival” next February.

“Once I land in Sochi and start preparing for my race, I want to have as much fun as I can,” she said. “I don’t want to get too caught up in the competition.”

The 24-year-old’s self-assurance and apparent peace of mind can be attributed to an impressive track record. She was the surprise gold medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, becoming the first South Korean woman to win an Olympic speed skating medal. Lee also owns the world record in distance, at 36.36 seconds.

She set her first world record in January with 36.80 seconds, and then broke her own mark three times in November alone. (Yonhap News)