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Short track speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong wins national team trials for final international season

Published: 13 Apr. 2026, 09:37

Choi Min-jeong, second from right, competes in the women's 1,000-meter final at the short track speed skating national team trials for the 2026-27 season at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul on April 12.

Short track speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong, Korea's most decorated Olympian, won the national team trials on Sunday for what will be her final international season.

Choi finished first overall in the women's competition following the conclusion of the two-stage national team trials for the 2026-27 season at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul.

In the first phase of the trials held last week, Choi finished first in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters and third in the 1,500 meters. In the second round, Choi won the 500-meter and 1,500-meter finals on Saturday and captured the 1,000-meter title for good measure on Sunday.

Choi, who has won more Olympic medals than any other Korean athlete with seven, announced on Thursday that the 2026-27 campaign will be her final one representing the country internationally. At the end of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games in February, Choi said she would not compete in future Olympics but left the door open for skating at other international events.

If Choi sticks to her retirement plans, then her final international event will be the 2027 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul.

“I want to put on a great show for fans in Korea at my final international competition,” said Choi, who skated through knee pains this weekend. “Now that my season is over, I will focus on rehabilitating my injury and getting ready for the new season.”

Choi, 27, plans to skate in domestic events following the 2026-27 season.

Choi's teammate at this year's Winter Olympics, Shim Suk-hee, finished second overall.

Another member of the Olympic squad, Kim Gil-li, earned an automatic berth for the 2026-27 season after winning two individual gold medals at the world championships last month.

Choi, Shim and Kim will be eligible to compete in all individual events and the relays next season. The next two best skaters from the trials, Kim Min-ji and Choi Ji-hyun, will be eligible for relays.

On the men's side, Lee Jeong-min, who helped Korea take silver in the 5,000-meter relay at the 2026 Winter Games, finished first overall, followed by Kim Tae-sung. They are joined by Rim Jong-un, a two-time world champion from March, as the three skaters eligible for all individual races next season.

Bae Seo-chan and Shin Dong-min will be the men's relay members.

Yonhap