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Figure skater Shin Ji-a looks back on first Olympics, first meeting with gold medalist classmate, and ahead to Worlds

Published: 24 Mar. 2026, 16:41 Updated: 24 Mar. 2026, 17:08

Shin Ji-a competes in the women's figure skating free program at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 19. [AP/YONHAP]

After making her Olympic debut in Milan in February, figure skater Shin Ji-a is preparing for another debut, this time at the senior world championships.

But before the 17-year-old sets off to Prague for the competition, she achieved another first that she discussed in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Taereung International Ice Rink in northern Seoul on March 16: meeting fellow Olympian snowboard gold medalist Choi Ga-on.

The inaugural introduction was surprising not because both were part of the Korean delegation at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics but because they were in the same year at Sehwa Girls’ High School in southern Seoul, never crossing paths due to different training schedules.

The two met at the school's auditorium on March 3 during a ceremony to award them each a 10 million won ($6,700) scholarship for elevating the prestige of the school with their Olympic appearances, where they greeted each other formally by their full names while dressed in school uniforms.

Shin smiled shyly when asked about Choi during the interview, saying, “I think we’ve gotten a bit closer."

"We talked more than before," Shin said, adding, "I can speak casually, but I’m not sure if Ga-on feels the same."

Like many in Gen Z, the two followed each other on Instagram instead of exchanging phone numbers and now message each other. While Choi shone at the 2026 Olympics by clinching a gold medal, Shin fell short of a podium finish.

Snowboarder Choi Ga-on, right, and figure skater Shin Ji-a pose for a photo after receiving scholarships at a special scholarship ceremony at Sehwa Girls’ High School in southern Seoul on March 3. [NEWS1]

Shin placed fourth in the team event short program with 68.8 points but struggled in the individual event, where she scored 65.66 points and finished 14th after mistakes on her jumps. She bounced back in the free skating program with a clean performance, scoring 141.02 points to finish seventh in that segment and 11th overall.

Her Olympics debut came in her first season competing on the senior stage.

“I was really regretful because I couldn’t show everything I prepared," she said. "I was pretty upset after the short program. I reviewed what went wrong with my coach, Chi Hyun-jung, cleared my mind and reset my focus going into the free skating."

Competing against the world’s best also motivated her.

“Gold medalist Alysa Liu impressed me," Shin said. "I want to learn how she stays calm on a big stage and enjoys her performance."

The U.S. skater went into action at this year's Olympics on the back of multiple medals from major competitions and clinched gold in both the singles and team categories.

Shin also watched short track events at the Olympics in person.

“It was my first time watching another sport, and it was amazing to see the women’s relay team win gold,” she said.

Shin boarded another flight on Sunday to compete at the International Skating Union Figure Skating World Championships, which begin Tuesday.

Shin Ji-a competes during the women's short program figure skating at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 17. [AP/YONHAP]

Korean skaters have continued to perform well in recent years in the women's singles category, with Lee Hae-in winning silver in 2023 and Kim Chae-yeon taking bronze in 2024.

The upcoming tournament marks Shin’s first appearance at the senior World Championships, where she will aim to maintain her podium streak after winning silver at the junior World Championships for four consecutive years.

“I focused on fixing my spins from the Olympics, especially the flying camel spin,” she said. "I want to perform it perfectly this time. I will also show my strong jumps. Rather than focusing on scores or rankings, my goal is to beat my personal best of 212.43 points."

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 KIM HYO-KYOUNG [[email protected]]