South Korean speed skating star Lee Sang-hwa said Tuesday she's confident of beating her emerging rival from Japan at next year's Winter Olympics on home ice.

Lee is the two-time defending Olympic gold medalist in the women's 500m, and is the current world record holder with 36.36 seconds. But she suffered through an injury-plagued 2016-2017 season, and was nipped by Nao Kodaira of Japan at the International Skating Union World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships in February.

The event was held at Gangneung Oval in Gangneung, some 230 kilometers east of Seoul, and the speed skating venue for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Kodaira may have beaten the South Korean star on home ice, but Lee said she won't let that happen again next February.

"I think I just have to stick to what I've been doing all along," Lee told reporters after an open training session at Taeneung International Rink in Seoul. "Last year, I made so many big mistakes. In winning gold medals in Vancouver (in 2010) and Sochi (in 2014), I was perfect. And I want to be able to do a perfect race in PyeongChang."

Lee won the national team trials last week by posting times of 38.53 and 38.23. Kodaira won her national team trials in 37.25 seconds. But the South Korean said she couldn't care less about what Kodaira or other opponents are doing.

"I am not really conscious of what she's been up to; she's a good skater but there are many other good athletes," Lee said.

"Even when I wasn't all healthy last year, I didn't think she was all that fast. I just made a cornering mistake (at the world championships). If I can pull off a perfect race, I should be able to post a better time."

Kodaira finished fifth at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, when Lee won her second straight gold. Lee is now trying to become only the second female to win three straight Olympic gold medals in the 500m.

Only Bonnie Blair of the United States has done it, but the third of her title, at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, came two years after her second gold.

In addition to the record books and her rivals, Lee has her own health to contend with. The 28-year-old said she's been bothered by knee injuries since the end of the Vancouver Olympics and she's learned to live with lingering pain.

"I am sure other skaters have their own physical issues," Lee said. "So I won't worry too much about it. I've done my rehab, and I don't think I'll have time even to worry about my knees."

She was hampered last season by some calf issues, too. Lee said she wasn't at worse technically last season, but she lacked some explosion and she needed to pay closer attention to detail.

Lee is gearing up for her fourth Olympics. And though PyeongChang 2018 will take place at home and she'll be counted on to break through for the home fans, Lee said she actually feels less pressure than she did before Sochi 2014.

"Right before Sochi, I'd set the world record, and I was worried about what it'd be like to actually not win an Olympic medal," Lee said. "But now, I am actually looking forward to PyeongChang. I think it's going to be more fun than my first three Olympics, and I'll be better able to enjoy the experience."

Lee said she's as "desperate" as ever to win the gold at PyeongChang 2018 but based on her experience, she said she has always performed better when she wasn't getting caught up with results.

"I am sure all other skaters want to win the gold medal, but I already have two," she said. "Right now, I think the process is even more important than the result. Obviously, the objective is to win the gold but no one knows what will happen. I just want to make sure I can skate a mistake-free race." (Yonhap)