Spectators at the Eissschnellaufbahn in Innsbruck could hardly have been surprised by the short track speed skating performance of Ahn Hyun-soo at the 2005 Winter Universiade – but it was spectacular nevertheless.

Aged just 19, the South Korean was already an Olympian and ten times a world gold medallist.

His racing at the Universiade only confirmed the astonishing trajectory upon which he was launched, as he took gold medals in the 1500 metres, 3000m and 5,000m relay, as well as adding a bronze in the 1000m.

Four months later he had improved his world gold total to 12 having won the 1500m and overall title in Beijing, where he also won silver in the 1000m, 3000m and 5,000m relay.

At the following year's Winter Olympics in Turin, Ahn produced his finest performance in South Korea's colours as he won 1000m, 1500m and 5,000m relay gold, as well as bronze in the 500m.

Shortly after these Games he competed at the World Championships in Minneapolis, where once again he won overall gold and individual titles in the 1000m and 1500m.

Upon returning to South Korea, however, he became involved in a row with the national skating federation, with his father claiming the men's coach did not associate with him and that attempts had been made to try and prevent his son claiming the overall title.

The row was patched up in time for Ahn to contest the following year's World Championships in Milan, where he won his sixth overall title and golds in the 1000m and 5,000m relay.

The following year he fractured his knee during training, and he failed to make the 2009 World Championships.

Having missed out on two World Cup seasons, Ahn needed to finish in the top three at the trials for the 2010 Winter Games, and failed to qualify after finishing seventh.

The following year he became a Russian citizen and began competing for his new country. There was a predictable uproar in his native country, but the ire was directed at the skating federation rather than at him.

At the 2014 Sochi Winter Games Ahn – who had now taken on the name of Viktor Ahn – delivered in gold on the Russian investment, winning the 500m and the 1000m and contributing to victory in the 5000m relay, as well as earning bronze in the 1500m.

He thus became the first short track skater to win gold in all four Olympic events, and also became the skater with most Olympic golds – six in all. He drew level with Apolo Ohno of the United States as holder of the most Olympic short track medals – eight in total.

After winning his golds in Sochi, Ahn explained his reasons for joining the Russian team, saying: "I wanted to train in the best possible environment and I proved my decision was not wrong."

He went on to add two more gold medals to the Russian account at that year's World Championships in Montreal, winning the 1000m and his seventh overall title.

Despite a part-move into coaching, Ahn continued to win medals at the world and European championships for Russia, but was denied what would have been a final Olympic appearance in his homeland when he was ruled out of the Pyeongchang 2018 Games as part of the international sanctions against his adopted country for doping offences.

Having retired, he temporarily reversed his decision. Last November, aged 33, he won silver in the 500m at the International Skating Union Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Salt Lake City before anchoring his team to gold in the mixed gender 2000m relay.