SEOUL - In an impressive display of skill and speed, South Korean short track stars shone at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Short Track Speed Skating event held in Seoul. Teen sensation Kim Gil-li captured both gold and bronze medals, while Park Ji-won triumphed with a gold in their respective competitions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Gil-li, aged 19, clinched victory in the first of the women's 1,500-meter finals at Mokdong Ice Rink, outperforming Corinne Stoddard from the United States. This win marks another addition to her impressive track record, as she continues to dominate the World Cup ranking with 715 points, maintaining a lead over Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States. Remarkably, Kim has secured at least one gold medal in each of the four ISU World Cup events this season.
In the men's category, Park Ji-won showcased his prowess by winning gold in the first 1,500m final, surpassing William Dandjinou of Canada. As the reigning men's World Cup overall champion, Park's latest victory has propelled him to second place in this season's standings, closely trailing Steven Dubois of Canada.
The event was not without its drama, as in the men's 1,000m final, Steven Dubois narrowly defeated South Korea's Hwang Dae-heon by a mere 0.014 second to clinch gold.
Further success for South Korea came in the mixed 2,000m relay where Park and Kim, alongside teammates Hwang and Shim Suk-hee, secured a bronze medal. The race concluded with a controversial moment when Park collided with a Dutch skater in the final curve, leading to a penalty for South Korea. A subsequent re-race involving the Netherlands, Italy, and the United States resulted in a penalty for the U.S. team, ultimately resulting in South Korea and the U.S. sharing the bronze medal.
The ISU World Cup in Seoul, the first in the country in six years, is set to conclude on Sunday with finals in the men's and women's 500m, 1,500m, the women's 3,000m relay, and the men's 5,000m relay.