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Korea takes 3 titles at Short Track World Tour in Poland

Published: 24 Nov. 2025, 09:22

Kim Gil-li, right, and Choi Min-jeong of South Korea compete in the women's 1,500-meter final at the International Skating Union Short Track World Tour at Hala Olivia in Gdansk, Poland, on Nov. 23. [EPA/YONHAP]

Korea collected three titles on the final day of the latest stop on the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Tour in Poland, a day after being shut out of medals.

Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong had a 1-2 finish in the women's 1,500-meter final at Hala Olivia in Gdansk on Sunday, leaving Courtney Sarault of Canada in third place. Kim crossed the line in 2:30.610, while Choi did so in 2:30.656, with the two Koreans charging to the front over the final stretch after biding their time in the back of the pack.

This was Kim's first individual gold medal on the World Tour this season and her third individual medal overall. Choi, who added a bronze in the 500-meter event on Sunday, now has four medals in individual races so far this season.

Earlier in the day, Kim and Choi joined Lee Jeong-min and Rim Jong-un for the gold medal in the mixed 2,000-meter relay, helping Korea (2:40.155) hold off the Netherlands (2:40.224) for its first mixed relay title of this season.

After Kim and Choi helped Korea take the lead, Lee gave the team an even bigger cushion before Rim anchored the quartet to the title.

Lee and Rim also won the men's 5,000-meter relay gold medal Sunday, alongside Shin Dong-min and Lee June-seo.

With six laps to go, Lee Jeong-min zipped past skaters from China and Italy with a burst of speed to push Korea into first place. Following an exchange moments later, Chinese and Italian skaters got tangled up and crashed into the wall, allowing Korea to cruise to the title in 7:07.098.

Kim Gil-li celebrates after winning gold in the women's 1,500-meter final at the International Skating Union Short Track World Tour at Hala Olivia in Gdansk, Poland, on Nov. 23. [EPA/YONHAP]

The Dutch team crossed the line behind Korea but was disqualified for a violation, with China (7:14.517) and Italy (7:16.683) ending up with the silver and bronze medals instead.

On the ISU World Tour, skaters are vying for quota places for the nine races at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The three best results out of four ISU World Tour stops will be considered for Olympic quota places in the following races: the men's and women's 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters; the men's 5,000-meter relay; the women's 3,000-meter relay; and the mixed 2,000-meter relay.

There are 32 quota places up for grabs in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters, and 36 quota places for the 1,500 meters. The men's and women's relays will offer eight quota places, and the mixed relay event will have 12 quota places.

Korea leads the all-time Olympic short track medal table with 26 gold medals and 53 medals overall.

Rim Jong-un, left, skates in the mixed 2,000-meter relay final at the International Skating Union Short Track World Tour at Hala Olivia in Gdansk, Poland, on Nov. 23. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

After three World Cup competitions, Korea leads the overall standings in the men's 5,000-meter relay and the mixed 2,000-meter relay, and is in second place in the women's 3,000-meter relay.

Among individual events, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong are second and third overall in the women's 1,500 meters, behind Sarault. No Korean man is in the top three in any individual race.

Yonhap