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Trust, tenacity propel Korea's short track top guns to women's relay gold

Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 14:00 Updated: 19 Feb. 2026, 14:03

Short track speed skaters Kim Gil-li, left, and Choi Min-jeong talk during the medal ceremony for the women’s 3,000-meter relay at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18. [KIM JONG-HO]

MILAN —The ice was their runway and the relay was their sortie, a mission where trust matters as much as speed. Four skaters moved like one machine, trading pushes with the power of a catapult as they chased their target in unison with the loyalty of wingwomen, in pursuit of the checkered flag on blades instead of wings.

The Korean women’s national short track team of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li, Noh Do-hee and Shim Suk-hee crossed the line first in 4:04.414 in the women’s 3,000-meter relay final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Wednesday.

Lee So-yeon, who skated in the semifinals for the team as an alternate, also received a gold medal.

A key moment came on the 11th lap, when a Dutch skater slipped and fell while running second. Choi, who was right behind her, held her balance and stayed upright despite the risk of being taken down as well.

That was the turning point. Choi had repeatedly trained by tying a resistance band to a post and pulling it as if dragging a cow. Choi has often been at a disadvantage in jostling on the inside line due to her short stature, and the drill was meant to help her withstand the strong centrifugal force in the corners. She then picked up speed and began to close the gap.

With five laps remaining, the comeback began. Shim powered Choi forward and Korea moved into second after passing Canada.

On the final leg, Kim surged past Italy on the straight with two laps left to take the lead, then held on to finish first.

Kim Gil-li, left, and Choi Min-jeong celebrate after clinching the gold medal in the women’s 3,000-meter relay final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18. [NEWS1]

Her speed has earned her the nickname “Lambor-Gilli.” Kim completes a 111.12-meter (364-foot) lap in 8.4 seconds. Though she is 161 centimeters (5 feet, 3 inches) tall, she is known for her powerful legs and can leg-press more than 100 kilograms (220.5 pounds).

“Honestly, I don’t remember much,” said Kim. “I just skated with my eyes forward.”

“I really thought I was going to fall,” Choi said in an interview with JTBC, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, after the race. “I was terrified. I just kept thinking I had to stay up, and I somehow held on.”

Before the Games, Kim had said, “A white tiger will trample fallen maple leaves,” alluding to the white tiger, a symbol associated with Korean short track, and the maple leaf synonymous with Canada. Korea did exactly that.

The country's short track skaters had managed only one silver medal by Hwang Dae-heon in the men’s 1,500 meters and one bronze by Rim Jong-un in the men’s 1,000 meters, before claiming its first gold of the Games.

Kim Gil-li cheers after clinching the gold medal in the women’s 3,000-meter relay final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18. [NEWS1]

Korea won gold in the event at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 and took silver at Beijing 2022. The latest victory marked Korea’s seventh Olympic gold in the women’s relay, following wins in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018.

The team also showed it had come together after past scars. Shim faced allegations during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics that she had intentionally collided with Choi, but the two later repaired their relationship. Choi even celebrated Shim’s birthday in Milan on Jan. 30.

In particular, having Shim, as the fourth skater, push Choi, the first skater, was a core tactic. The two had previously been separated in the relay order, but Choi said she welcomed the plan.

“I’m part of the national team,” said Choi. “And as an athlete, I thought it was right to do my best in my role.”

Korea’s women’s short track team celebrates winning the gold during the medal ceremony for the women’s 3,000-meter relay at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18. [KIM JONG-HO]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK RIN, KIM HYO-KYOUNG, KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]