Cross-country sprinter Kim Yun-ji earns her second medal at the Winter Paralympics 작성일 03-11 12 목록 <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/03/11/0000085532_001_20260311163217517.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Kim Yun-ji celebrates after winning silver with a time of 33:10.1 in the women’s sitting cross-country sprint final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Italy on March 10. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Kim Yun-ji pushed hard through the final stretch on Tuesday, chasing one of the most decorated Paralympians in history. She didn’t catch Oksana Masters, but Kim still left with silver — her second medal of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics. <br> <br> The Korean finished the women’s sitting cross-country sprint final with 33:10.1 at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Tesero, Italy. The United States' Masters crossed the line with 33:07.1 to take gold, and China’s Wang Shiyu claimed bronze. <br><br>The result gave Kim her second medal of the Games after she won gold in Sunday’s women’s sitting 12.5-kilometer biathlon sprint. <br> <br> That victory made Kim the first Korean woman to win an individual medal at the Winter Paralympics. It also marked the country’s first gold in the sport since Shin Eui-hyun captured the men’s sitting cross-country classic 7.5 kilometers title at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. <br> <br> With Tuesday's win, Kim also became the second Korean athlete to win multiple medals at a single Winter Paralympics, following Shin, who earned one gold and one bronze in 2018. <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/640/2026/03/11/0000085532_002_20260311163217673.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Kim Yun-ji celebrates after winning silver with a time of 33:10.1 in the women’s sitting cross-country sprint final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Italy on March 10. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Cross-country skiing tests pure racing ability, removing the shooting component that defines biathlon. The format suits Kim, who has shown relatively weaker shooting results compared to some rivals. <br> <br> The sprint format resembles a 400-meter race in track and field, with an emphasis on acceleration and speed. Kim advanced to the semifinals after finishing second behind Masters in the qualification round. She then beat the U.S. athlete to win her semifinal. <br> <br> Six athletes started the final in staggered formation. Kim, who left the start second, moved past Germany’s Anja Wicker to take the early lead. She crested the first uphill section in first place. <br> <br> Masters closed the gap on the downhill and overtook Kim on the second climb. Kim pushed through the final stretch but could not regain the lead. <br> <br> “Masters is a very strong skier with incredible power. Just being able to compete against an athlete like her is something I’m grateful for and truly honored by,” Kim said after the match. <br> <br> “I don’t think the course was one in which I could fully show my strengths. It’s a bit disappointing, but I believe I showed everything I could.” <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/640/2026/03/11/0000085532_003_20260311163217809.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Kim Yun-ji, left, competes in the women’s sitting cross-country sprint final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Italy on March 10. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]</em></span> <span class="mask"></span> </div> </div> <br> Kim was born with myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida, which left her with limited mobility in her lower body. She began swimming at the age of 3 for rehabilitation and took to Nordic skiing in her third year of middle school in 2020. <br> <br> She now swims in the summer and skis in the winter, earning rookie of the year awards and MVP honors at the National Para Games in both seasons. Her constant smile, even on steep climbs, has earned her the nickname “Smiley.” <br> <br> Kim stayed true to her nickname after the race, beaming as she celebrated her second medal of the Games. <br> <br> “I can’t promise how many more medals I’ll win,” Kim said with a laugh regarding her three remaining events. “But I’ve trained a lot to get here. If I just do what I’ve been doing and finish the races without making mistakes, I think that I can achieve good results.” <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 삼성D, 차세대 디스플레이 기술 'QNED' 개발 재개 03-11 다음 스페인 핸드볼 아소발리그, 바르셀로나 ‘카탈루냐 더비’ 완승하며 20연승 질주 03-11 댓글 0 등록된 댓글이 없습니다. 로그인한 회원만 댓글 등록이 가능합니다.
