The South Korean short-track speed skating team, which was aiming for the Korean delegation's first gold medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, failed to advance to the final in the 2,000 m mixed relay due to an unexpected stroke of bad luck.
Kim Gilli collided with an American skater. The South Korean short-track speed skating team failed to advance to the mixed relay final. Yonhap News
In the second semifinal heat, South Korea's Kim Gilli got tangled up with a fallen American skater who had gone down ahead of her in the middle of the race, causing her to fall as well. South Korea eventually crossed the finish line in third place and did not qualify for the final.
Kim Gilli is disappointed after being tripped by an American skater and falling in the short-track mixed relay semifinal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, held on the 10th (local time) at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy. Photo by Yonhap News
On the 10th (Korea time), South Korea was drawn into the second semifinal heat of the 2,000 m mixed relay with the United States, Belgium, and Canada at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy.
Choi Minjeong, Kim Gilli, Hwang Daeheon, and Lim Jong-eon took part in the race. Compared with the quarterfinals, Hwang Daeheon was brought in instead of Shin Dongmin, and Choi Minjeong and Kim Gilli swapped their order.
Choi Minjeong started as the first skater and settled into third place. South Korea held on to third behind Canada and the United States through the middle of the race. After all skaters completed their first turn on the ice, South Korea switched the order of Choi Minjeong and Kim Gilli. Following Lim Jong-eon, the last of the four in the rotation, Kim Gilli continued the race.
While the American and Canadian skaters ahead were jostling for position, the American skater fell, and as Kim Gilli got caught on the fallen American skater, she went down with her. In the meantime, Canada and Belgium surged ahead. Kim Gilli quickly made a touch to Choi Minjeong, but they could not make up for the situation, which had already passed the midway point, and South Korea crossed the finish line in third place behind Canada and Belgium.
South Korea was in third place at the moment Kim Gilli fell, and as a result of the judges' decision, the team was not granted an advance.
In the first heat, contested by the Netherlands, China, Italy, and France, Italy and China advanced to the final.
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