Korean short trackers win both gold and silver in women's 1,500 meters as Kim eclipses Choi
Published: 21 Feb. 2026, 10:59
Updated: 21 Feb. 2026, 18:25
![Kim Gil-li of South Korea celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 20. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/21/4651937e-4143-4890-ae7e-8dfe0315559f.jpg)
Kim Gil-li of South Korea celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 20. [YONHAP]
Short track speed skaters Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong captured the gold and silver medals in the women's 1,500 meters at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday.
Kim held off Choi for her second gold medal and her third medal overall at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on the final day of short track races at this year's Games. Kim became the first double gold medalist for Korea here while also denying Choi her third consecutive gold for this distance.
Corinne Stoddard of the United States took the bronze medal.
With her seventh career medal, Choi became the most decorated Olympian ever for Korea. She broke a tie with former archer Kim Soo-nyung, former shooter Jin Jong-oh and speed skater Lee Seung-hoon.
Kim earlier won bronze in the women's 1,000 meters and teamed up with Choi and two others for gold in the women's 3,000-meter relay. Kim is the first Korean short tracker to win three medals in an Olympic debut since her current teammate Shim Suk-hee in 2014.
Korea finished the short track competition with two gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals.
Choi Min-jeong of South Korea, left, congratulates teammate Kim Gil-li after Kim won the gold medal in the women's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 20, 2026. Choi won the silver medal. (Yonhap)
In a slow-developing, 14-lap race, Choi and Kim started in the middle of the pack among seven finalists, with Stoddard moving to the front early.
At the halfway mark, Choi went from fifth place to second place in a hurry, while Kim stayed back in fourth place.
With three laps left, it was Stoddard, Choi and Kim. But as Choi charged into the lead in the next lap, Kim followed right behind her, leaving Stoddard in third place.
The two Koreans pulled away from the American, and Kim kicked into another gear to skate past Choi over the final lap and cross the line first.
With these two medals, plus the men's 5,000-meter relay silver medal earlier Friday, Korea now has three gold medals, four silver medals and three bronze medals overall in Italy, with two more days of competition left.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)