SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING: Two of Australia's promising young winter athletes will face the cut-throat reality of Olympic selection tomorrow, when they skate off for Sochi.

Pierre Boda and Andy Jung will meet in a best of three skate-off, to decide who will take the one short track speed skating spot on offer to an Aussie male in Sochi.

Boda, 20 and Jung, 16, both performed equally well at the recent World Cup Olympic qualification events, meaning that the decision on who would take the 500m berth they earned for Australia could not be made on past performance alone.

A time trial will decide the order position for the first race and then the two athletes will face off over 500m. With an average race taking little more than 40 seconds, it will be over in a flash.

To make it even tougher, Boda and Jung are good friends and roommates on tour. But friendship will be put aside as the two athletes focus on realising their dreams of Olympic selection.

Both young men are dedicated to their sport, skating full time at the Icehouse in Melbourne, the venue which will next week decide their fate. The trials are open to the public, details as follows:

Monday 30 December

7.00 - 7:15am  - Warm up on ice
7:45am  - 444m Standing Start Time Trial
8:20am  - 500m Race 1

Tuesday 31 December

6:30 - 7:10am - Warm up on ice
7:40am  - 500m Race 2
8:15am  - 500m Race 3 (if required)

VENUE

Icehouse
105 Pearl River Road (Docklands Drive)
Melbourne
VIC 3008