Choi Min-jeong Kicks Off Retirement Season With Gold in First Race

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Living short-track legend Choi Min-jeong is set to retire from the national team after this season. She claimed a gold medal right from her very first race of her retirement season, showcasing her still-undiminished, overwhelming skills.

Reporter Bae Jeonghun has the story.

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Having won seven Olympic medals across three Games, including four golds—the most by any South Korean athlete—Choi Min-jeong announced after the national team trials last April that she would return her Taegeuk mark following the World Championships in Seoul next March.

[Choi Min-jeong / Short Track National Team Member (Last April): I plan to continue my national team career until the Seoul World Championships (next year), and since it is an opportunity, I'd love to greet fans in a place with many home supporters...]

Even in her final national team season at age 28, her overwhelming prowess remained unchanged.

In the 1,000 meters, she ranked first overall from the preliminaries through the semifinals, and delivered a phenomenal race in the final as well.

Running in third place among five skaters, she attacked the outside lane with two and a half laps remaining to move up to second, and then immediately sliced through the inside to take the lead.

Shaking off the pursuit of her competitors with a powerful spurt, Choi crossed the finish line first and cheered with both fists clenched.

[Choi Min-jeong / Short Track National Team Member: This World Tour series is now my final season, and I will do my absolute best in every single race so there are no regrets.]

Choi subsequently claimed a silver medal in the relay race that followed.

Taking a powerful first step toward a brilliant finale to her national team career, Choi is targeting additional medals today, October 26, in her signature 1,500-meter and 500-meter events, as well as the mixed relay.

Video by Lee Jae-sung
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.