Choi Min-jeong poses with the gold medals she won at the Pyeongchang, Beijing and Milan Cortina Winter Olympics before an interview at All That Sports in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on March 11. She holds the Korean record for the most Olympic medals across the Summer and Winter Games, with four golds and three silvers.YONHAP
Short-track skater Choi Min-jeong opened her final season with Korea's national team by winning gold in the women's 1,000 meters at the first stop of the ISU Short Track World Tour.
Choi, aged 28, who competes for Seongnam City Hall, finished in 1 minute, 32.954 seconds at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday. She beat the Netherlands' Xandra Velzeboer, who clocked 1:33.074. Kim Gil-li, also of Seongnam City Hall, waited at the back for an opening but finished fifth in 1:33.678.
Choi said during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February that the Games would be her "last Olympics."
After the first round of national team selection trials in April, she announced she would leave the national team at the end of the season. She opened that final season with a gold medal.
"I did not expect to win gold," Choi said after the race. "So many Korean fans came out to cheer me on, and their support gave me strength. I will do my best to finish my last season without regrets."
Choi advanced to the final after winning her quarterfinal and semifinal heats. The other finalists were Kim, Velzeboer, Italy's Gloria Ioriatti and the United States' Kristen Santos-Griswold.
Choi Min-jeong competes in the women's 1,000-meter final during the second round of national short-track team selection trials for the 2026-27 season at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on April 12.YONHAP
Choi was third after the opening lap and held her position without forcing an early move. On the seventh lap, she passed Ioriatti on the outside, then cut inside to overtake Velzeboer. She stayed comfortably in front over the final two laps to take gold.
Choi also excelled in the women's 3,000-meter relay semifinal. During her last stint on the ice, she overtook a Canadian skater and a Chinese skater together on the outside before handing off to Kim, the anchor. Kim crossed the line first, securing Korea's place in the final.
Choi will also pursue medals in the 500 and 1,500 meters on Sunday, the competition's final day.
Rim Jong-un of Goyang City Hall won silver in the men's 1,500 meters. Rim finished in 2:20.082, behind the Netherlands' Jens van 't Wout, who clocked 2:20.025. Van 't Wout won three gold medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
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.
