'Korea’s Only Multiple Gold Medalist' Kim Gilli Becomes First Winter Olympics MVP of Korean Delegation

From Olympic Debut to 2 Golds and 1 Bronze
Chosen Over Halfpipe Champion Choi Gaon

Nicknamed 'Lambor-Gilli,' Kim Gilli of Seongnam City Hall, who has emerged as the new face of Korean short-track speed skating by becoming a double gold medalist, has been selected as the MVP of the Korean delegation at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.

On the 20th (local time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, Kim Gilri, who won the women's 1500m short track final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, is performing a victory ceremony. Yonhap News

On the 22nd, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee selected Kim Gilli as the Winter Olympics MVP at the Korean delegation’s closing ceremony, held at the Korea House set up at Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, Italy. In a vote conducted among the pool of reporters covering these Olympics on site, Kim Gilli received the highest number of votes and was chosen as MVP.

Kim Gilli was the only Korean athlete at these Games to win two gold medals. Making her Olympic debut, she claimed her first-ever Olympic medal by winning bronze in the women’s 1000m short-track event held on the 16th. She then led the team to gold in the women’s 3000m relay. In the women’s relay final held on the 19th, Kim, skating as the second anchor and responsible for the last segment, moved up from second place with two laps to go by cutting inside and overtaking Arianna Fontana of Italy, who had been in the lead, to move into first place. She then accelerated and was the first to cross the finish line.

Kim Gilli added another gold in the women’s 1500m. In the women’s 1500m final on the 21st, she beat Choi Minjeong of Seongnam City Hall, her senior on the national team and the skater she has described as her idol, to capture the gold medal. After Kim secured her second gold and Choi took silver, Choi announced that "this will be my last Olympics," naturally creating a scene that looked like a succession ceremony for the throne of the short-track queen.

Kim Gilli said, "I believed in myself because I knew how hard I had worked."

In particular, Kim was chosen as MVP over Choi Gaon of Sehwa Girls’ High School, who won gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe and opened a new chapter for Korean skiing and snowboarding. The overall MVP of the Korean delegation also went to Kim Gilli.

Kim Gilli said, "Thank you for giving me such a meaningful award. There were many difficult moments, but I was able to endure thanks to all the people who cheered for me," and added, "I will continue to work to become an athlete who can keep growing."

Meanwhile, starting with the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee has been selecting and awarding an MVP at every major international multi-sport event. As a result, Kim Gilli has earned the honor of becoming the very first Winter Olympics MVP. Previously, at the Hangzhou Asian Games, archer Lim Sihyeon received MVP honors, and at the 2024 Paris Olympics, archers Lim Sihyeon and Kim Woojin shared the MVP award.