Olympic Short-Track Speedskating Schedule 2018: Live Stream for Thursday Finals

The short-track speedskating tournament will reach its climax at the 2018 Winter Olympics on Thursday when the last few medals are decided in the men's 500 metres, women's 1,000 metres and men's 5,000-metre relay events.

The home supporters will be particularly hopeful of their team finishing strongly in Pyeongchang, South Korea, after taking a grip on the medal stakes thus far, winning three of the five golds handed out.

Rivals China came to this year's Games hoping to disrupt South Korea's monopoly over the short-track events, but their opportunities are running out as this portion of the Winter Olympics enters its final exchanges.

Thursday's morning schedule will see the field fly through a series of qualifying and medal events in less than two hours, with little time to spare in one of the fastest-moving formats on display.

Read on for a breakdown of Thursday's event schedule, complete with all the information you need to ensure you don't miss out.

Date: Thursday, February 22

TV Info: NBC Universal (U.S.), BBC and Eurosport (UK)

Live Stream: NBC Olympics (U.S.), BBC iPlayer (UK), Eurosport Player (UK)

Schedule (estimated start times)

5 a.m. ET/10 a.m. GMT, Men's 500-metre quarter-finals 

5:14 a.m. ET/10:14 a.m. GMT, Women's 1,000-metre quarter-finals

5:42 a.m. ET/10:42 a.m. GMT, Men's 500-metre semi-finals

5:51 a.m. ET/10:51 a.m. GMT, Women's 1,000-metre semi-finals

6:13 a.m. ET/11:13 a.m. GMT, Men's 500-metre finals (Medal)

6:26 a.m. ET/11:26 a.m. GMT, Women's 1,000-metre finals (Medal)

6:52 a.m. ET/11:52 a.m. GMT, Men's 5,000-metre relay finals (Medal)

Visit the official Pyeongchang 2018 website for the schedule in full.

Preview

It may be Choi Min-jeong's first appearance at a Winter Olympics, but the 19-year-old is on the verge of recording Games history if she can finish atop the podium in the women's 1,000 metres for South Korea.

Doing so will ensure the teenager her third gold medal of these Olympics, which would beat the two gold medals compatriot Park Seung-hi clinched at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, winning the relay and 1,000-metre events:

After already taking gold in the relay and 1,500 metres, Choi now needs to translate her form to a shorter distance, although team-mate Shim Suk-hee and Kim A-lang are also seeking their second gold medals of these Games.

Shim in particular has motivation in this event after she won bronze in Sochi four years ago, although South Korea's women have relied on some fortune to raise their medal tally recently, via 7Olympics:

Of the five Chinese athletes who make up their 5,000-metre relay team, only Wu Dajing, Han Tianyu and Ren Ziwei will also take part in the 500-metre event. After winning two golds, three silvers and one bronze at Sochi 2014, China have been disappointed to take just one silver at this Olympics so far.

However, Wu spoke to the International Skating Union prior to the Games and had high hopes for his team in both the team event and individual stakes:

"I think China's strength is that we're very united in our goal. That makes us well prepared for the challenges. Our individual levels are all high. I think all of us are capable of challenging to be champion.

"Let's see what happens when it's here. It's still too early to say who will be number one. Everyone starts at the same line. There's definitely pressure but we still have to do our part. We're less than 30 days from the Olympics, and we have to do our best."

Wu took silver in the 500 metres four years ago and played a role in China's 5,000-metre relay bronze, meaning he'll be one to keep an eye on in both disciplines.

Canada are the most decorated team in the men's 5,000-metre relay and have won three of the seven gold medals handed out in this event, not to mention winning silver both times South Korea have won it.

The hosts can draw level with three gold medals apiece should they time their toe pokes correctly, but there's everything to skate for in an event where competitors can slip and tumble in an instant.