Park Ji-won Successfully Holds Off Lin Xiaojun in Final Lap
"Ramborghini" Kim Gil-li Also Pushes Chinese Athletes to Second and Third Place
The South Korean short track team swept the gold medals in the traditional strong event, the 1500m, for both men and women.
On the 8th, Park Ji-won and Kim Gil-li each pushed Chinese athletes to second place and won gold medals in the men's and women's 1500m short track events at the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games, held at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center Multipurpose Hall in Harbin, China.
The final race, featuring seven competitors, was essentially a showdown between South Korea and China. In both the men's and women's finals, three athletes from each country competed.
Park Ji-won is celebrating after winning the gold medal in the men's 1500m short track final at the Harbin Winter Asian Games, held on the 8th at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center Multipurpose Hall in Harbin, China. [Photo by Yonhap News]
In the men's final, South Korean and Chinese skaters fiercely competed for the lead from the start. Park Ji-won surged ahead in the middle of the race and maintained his lead until the end without allowing any overtakes. Although he stumbled while taking a corner with three laps remaining, he did not fall and kept his lead. With one lap left, Lin Xiaojun tried to overtake by cutting inside, but Park skillfully blocked him and continued his lead to cross the finish line first.
In the women's final, Chinese skaters took the lead immediately after the start, but soon Shim Suk-hee surged to the front and disrupted the flow. When three Chinese skaters formed the leading group again in the middle of the race, Choi Min-jung and Kim Gil-li stepped forward one after another to challenge China. With seven laps remaining, Kim was in third place and Choi in fourth. With three laps left, Chinese leader Yang Jinglu fell, allowing Kim to take the lead. Kim then maintained her lead without allowing any overtakes and crossed the finish line first.
Park Ji-won is indisputably the current world's strongest male short track skater. He ranked first overall in the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup for the past two seasons and is currently ranked second overall through the fourth of six events in the 2024?2025 season.
Kim Gilli is celebrating after winning the gold medal in the women's 1500m short track final at the Harbin Winter Asian Games held on the 8th at the Heilongjiang Ice Training Center Multipurpose Hall in Harbin, China. Photo by Yonhap News
Kim Gil-li, famously nicknamed "Ramborghini," is an absolute powerhouse in long-distance events. Kim also ranked first overall in the 2023?2024 ISU World Cup season and has won first place in all 1500m races through the fourth event of the 2024?2025 season.
In the men's division, Jang Sung-woo won the bronze medal following Park Ji-won, and Kim Geon-woo placed fourth. In the women's division, Choi Min-jung and Shim Suk-hee finished in fourth and fifth places, respectively.
South Korea has won the gold medal in the women's 1500m short track at the Winter Asian Games for six consecutive editions since the 1999 Gangwon Games. Gold medalists include Kim Yun-mi in 1999 Gangwon, Choi Eun-kyung in 2003 Aomori, Jung Eun-joo in 2007 Changchun, Jo Hae-ri in 2011 Astana-Almaty, and Choi Min-jung in 2017 Sapporo.
The men's team also secured gold medals for three consecutive editions. No Jin-kyu won gold in 2011 Astana-Almaty, and Park Se-young took gold in 2017 Sapporo.
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