Kim Gil-li Triumphs in Women’s 1,500m at ISU World Cup in Seoul

Seoul: In an impressive display of talent and strategy, South Korean teenager Kim Gil-li completed her sweep of the women’s 1,500-meter titles at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Short Track Speed Skating. The event, hosted at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul, witnessed Kim’s dominance in both 1,500m finals, securing her victories on home ice.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim clinched her second victory on Sunday with a time of 2:23.746, a mere 24 hours after her first win. She was followed closely by Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States and Hanne Desmet of Belgium. This weekend marked the first time the 19-year-old skater won two individual titles at a single World Cup stop.

Kim expressed her delight at winning two gold medals at a World Cup for the first time, emphasizing the added significance of achieving this milestone in Seoul. Throughout the season, she has demonstrated remarkable consistency, securing at least one gold in all four World Cup stops and currently leading the overall World Cup standings with 865 points.

In Sunday’s final, Kim strategically positioned herself at the back of the pack in the early stages of the 13.5-lap race. As Desmet took an early lead, Kim patiently waited for the right moment to make her move. In the final laps, she surged past two American competitors, Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard, to take the lead and ultimately win the race. Kim acknowledged that her chances of winning increased when Desmet took an early lead, attributing her success to both her strategy and the challenging ice conditions.

In the men’s 1,500m final on Sunday, South Korea’s Park Ji-won earned a silver medal, finishing behind Canada’s William Dandjinou. The race was marked by multiple lead changes, with Park initially dropping to sixth before making a strong comeback to secure second place. This performance places Park in a close second in the men’s overall World Cup standings with 681 points, just behind Dubois.

This event in Seoul was particularly notable as it marked the first ISU World Cup Short Track event held in South Korea in six years. The next World Cup is scheduled to take place in Dresden, Germany, in February 2024.