The Dramatic Finish That Reversed the Results: The "Ramen Girl" and Her Stroke of Luck at the 1986 Asian Games

With the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games kicking off on the 19th, the opening day is now 11 days away.

The Asian Games have long served as a cradle for sports stars. Among the most celebrated heroes in the history of the event is Im Chun-ae.

At the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, 17-year-old Im swept three gold medals in women's track and field, achieving a miraculous feat unprecedented in the history of South Korean sports and rarely seen since.

This triumph was made all the more remarkable because it came in track and field, a premier event in multi-sport competitions. Im shocked Asia by dominating all three women's middle- and long-distance events: the 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.

(Produced by Yang Hyun-yi | Video edited by Kim Bok-hyung | Designed by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News)