Short track speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong reflects on her Olympic career 작성일 02-22 29 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/02/22/0000084722_001_20260222190414582.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in front of the Duomo di Milano in Milan on Feb. 21. [KIM JONG-HO]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> MILAN — Short track speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong marked the end of her Olympic journey and national team career with one gold and one silver medal at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday. <br> <br> She placed second in the women’s 1,500 meters at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Friday, behind gold medalist Kim Gil-li. <br><br>“I don’t know how many times I’ve cried,” Choi said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in front of the Duomo di Milano, a cathedral church, on Saturday. <br> <br> Shortly after Friday's race, she announced that she would retire from the national team. <br> <br> Known for her expressionless focus on the ice and nicknamed the “Ice Princess,” Choi went into her final Olympics with a different mindset than she had for her previous Games. <br> <br> “I started thinking about retirement while preparing for this season,” she said. “My knees and ankles are not in good shape, and I felt mentally exhausted. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything left for me to achieve.” <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/02/22/0000084722_002_20260222190414700.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Choi Min-jeong is seen after receiving her silver medal for the short track speed skating women's 1,500 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 20. [AP/YONHAP] </em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> But she does not plan to fully retire from the sport. <br> <br> “Like how [volleyball player] Kim Yeon-kyoung played for her club after retiring from the national team, I will continue to compete for [Seongnam City Hall] and take part in various tournaments.” <br> <br> Her fellow national team members did not know this would be her final Olympics. <br> <br> “I could change my mind, but for now, I think this is the right call,” Choi said. “And I don't think I could have asked for a better ending.” <br> <br> Choi ended this year's Olympics with one gold medal from the 3,000-meter relay race and one silver from the 1,500-meter contest, bringing her total Olympic medal count to seven across three Games — the record for the most Olympic medals by a Korean athlete across both genders and both Summer and Winter Games. <br> <br> Choi won two gold medals in the 1,500 meters and 3,000-meter relay at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. At the 2022 Beijing Games, she claimed gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 1,000 meters and 3,000-meter relay. <br> <br> When asked whether she considers herself the greatest of all time, she replied, “I don’t think that’s for me to judge. I think others will decide.” <br> <br> Before departing for Milan, Choi received a letter from her mother. <br> <br> “The small child who first put on skates at 6 now stands on such a big stage. It feels like a miracle,” the letter read. “Even if this may be your last Olympics, remember that the time you spent reaching here is itself a gold medal.” <br> <br> Choi lost her father at a young age and often speaks of her mother and older sister as her greatest supporters. <br> <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/02/22/0000084722_003_20260222190414830.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Choi Min-jeong celebrates after the short track speed skating women's 1,500 meters final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 20. [AP/YONHAP]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> “My mother’s letter gave me strength,” she said. “I don’t think I will write back. Maybe the gold and silver medals are my response.” <br> <br> After finishing an interview with the International Olympic Committee, Choi held a limited edition pasta product in her hand. Only 2,026 packages were produced to commemorate the Games. <br> <br> A fan of the JTBC cooking show “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator” (2014–), she said she hopes to bring high-quality Italian ingredients such as pasta and truffles to Korea. <br> <br> When asked recently what she plans to do next, she smiled. “I want to eat when I want to eat and sleep when I want to sleep.” <br> <br> Ten years ago, she was asked what kind of athlete she wanted to become. <br> <br> “When people think of short track, I want them to think of Choi Min-jeong,” she said at the time. <br><br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.</i> 관련자료 이전 '金 3·銀 4·銅 3' 한국 선수단, 밀라노-코르티나에서 17일간 열띤 일정 마치고 해단…MVP는 김길리 02-22 다음 봅슬레이 4인승 김진수 팀, 전체 8위로 메달 걸린 4차 주행 진출...석영진 팀은 고배 [2026 밀라노] 02-22 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
