Home > Sports > Olympic Sports

Korea misses short track mixed relay medal after collision

Published: 11 Feb. 2026, 09:00

Kim Gil-li of Korea, top, is tripped up by Corinne Stoddard of the United States during the semifinals of the mixed team relay in short track speed skating at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 10. [YONHAP]

Korea missed out on a medal in short track speed skating's mixed team relay at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Tuesday after crashing out of the semifinals following an on-ice collision.

The quartet of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li, Rim Jong-un and Hwang Dae-heon finished third in their group in the semifinals at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, with only the top two nations from the two groups progressing to the final.

With six laps remaining in this 18-lap, 2,000-meter race, Kim got tripped up by Corinne Stoddard of the United States, who lost her balance and fell after briefly moving out in front. Korea was in third place at the time behind the U.S. and Canada.

Korea crossed the line in third place and settled for the consolation "B" final.

A Korean team official lodged an on-site protest with officials, asking for an "advancement" for Korea due to a U.S. penalty, but the final results did not change.

The referee of the given race may choose to push a skater or a team through to the next round when a skater who was in a strong position is fouled or blocked by another skater.

However, a skater or a team must have been in at least second place at the time of any foul or rules violation by an opponent. With Kim in third place when she crashed into Stoddard, Korea accepted the final decision.

Kim Gil-li of South Korea, right, makes an exchange with Choi Min-jeong during the semifinals of the mixed team relay in short track speed skating at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 10. [YONHAP]

According to a team official, Kim was "a little sore" but should have no problem skating in upcoming races.

Kim Min-jung, an assistant coach on the team, said Kim Gil-li had suffered a cut on her right arm and received some treatment for bleeding. The skater will undergo further tests on swelling in her right hand, but the coach added, "She said she is fine, and I think she will be good to go in later races."

The coach said she decided to appeal the ruling because she felt Kim Gil-li was in second place or at least was even with Stoddard for second place at the time of their collision.

"The referee determined that we were in third place, and if we had pushed further, we could have been penalized," Kim said.

Canada and Belgium made it out of Korea's group, and Italy and China advanced to the final from the other group.

In the "A" final, Italy held off Canada for the gold medal in front of a delighted home crowd, while Belgium got the bronze medal. The Netherlands won the B final over Korea, France and the United States.

The mixed relay, featuring two female and two male skaters per team, made its Olympic debut in 2022 in Beijing. Korea crashed out of the quarterfinals then and failed to get its redemption this year.

This was the first day of the short track competition in Milan. It will continue Thursday with the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals in the women's 500 meters and the men's 1,000 meters.

Yonhap