Choi Minjeong Reaches Short Track 500m Semifinals... Kim Gilli and Lee Soyoun Eliminated

Choi Minjeong has advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 500m short track at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

On the 13th (Korean time), Choi Minjeong won her women’s 500m short track pre-quarterfinal heat at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, finishing first in Heat 4 with a time of 41.955 seconds.

Choi Minjeong is racing in the women's 500m short track round of 16 at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy on the 13th (Korean time). [Photo by Reuters Yonhap]

Choi Minjeong raced in Heat 4 together with Lee Soyoun. Their starting lanes were not favorable, with Choi Minjeong in Lane 4 and Lee Soyoun in Lane 5.

Although she started from an unfavorable position, Choi Minjeong moved up to third place in the early phase and, with one lap remaining, slipped between the first- and second-place skaters to seize the lead. Lee Soyoun finished fifth.

Kim Gilli placed third in Heat 3 with a time of 43.38 seconds and failed to advance to the semifinals. She ultimately could not overcome the disadvantage of being assigned the outermost Lane 5.

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