Journalist

Kang Sang-heon
  • Choi Min-jeong Says Milan Olympics Were Her Last, Fights Back Tears After Silver
    Choi Min-jeong Says Milan Olympics Were Her Last, Fights Back Tears After Silver Short track star Choi Min-jeong of Seongnam City Hall said she is retiring from the Olympics. Choi won silver in the women’s 1,500 meters short track final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Friday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, finishing second behind Kim Gil-li. The medal was Choi’s seventh individual Olympic medal (four gold, three silver). It set a new record for most Olympic medals by a South Korean athlete, surpassing Jin Jong-oh (shooting), Kim Soo-nyung (archery) and Lee Seung-hoon (speedskating), who each had six. Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Choi said she felt relief after a race with no regrets, but became emotional because it felt like the end. “I feel so relieved, but I’m crying because a lot of emotions are crossing,” she said. “I think I’m crying because it feels like my last Olympics.” Choi said the 1,500 was her Olympic “last dance.” “This is my last Olympics,” she said. “While preparing this season, my knee and ankle weren’t good, and mentally it was really tough.” She added that the thought stayed with her throughout the race and afterward: “I don’t think you’ll see me at the Olympics anymore.” She said she has not decided whether to retire from competition altogether. “Retiring from my career isn’t something I can decide alone,” Choi said, adding that it would require coordination with her team. “I’ve only been thinking about the Olympics. It’s something I need to think about while resting for a while.” Asked why she chose to make this her final Olympics, Choi said the decision came naturally as injuries piled up and it became difficult to regain her best condition. She said she set many records on the Olympic stage and felt she had done everything she could. Looking back on her three Olympics, Choi said the best moment was “right now,” saying she wanted to focus on the good and finish on a positive note. She called Friday’s 1,500 silver her most meaningful medal among the seven. Choi said she hopes fans remember her as an athlete who kept showing how strong South Korean skaters are. She added that with Kim poised to follow in her footsteps, she feels more at ease about taking a break. 2026-02-21 16:45:00
  • Lee Hae-in Places Eighth in Olympic Debut, Finishes in Top 10 in Women’s Figure Skating
    Lee Hae-in Places Eighth in Olympic Debut, Finishes in Top 10 in Women’s Figure Skating Lee Hae-in of Korea University finished in the top 10 in women’s singles figure skating in her first Olympics. Competing at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, Lee scored 74.15 in technical elements and 66.34 in program components for 140.49 in the free skate. With her short program score of 70.07, she totaled 210.56 to place eighth. She became the sixth South Korean to place in the Olympic top 10 in women’s singles, following Kim Yuna (gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and silver at the 2014 Sochi Games), Choi Da-bin (seventh at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games), You Young (fifth at the 2022 Beijing Games) and Kim Ye-lim (eighth at the 2022 Beijing Games). Lee set season bests in both the free skate and overall total. She surpassed the 132.06 free-skate score and 196.84 total she posted at the ISU Challenger Series Denis Ten Memorial Challenge in October. Her personal bests are 148.57 in the free skate and 225.47 overall, both set at the 2023 Team Trophy. After placing ninth in the short program with a season best, Lee skated 16th in the free. Performing to the opera “Carmen,” she landed a double Axel-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop combination cleanly, along with steady triple Salchow and triple loop jumps. Her flying camel spin earned Level 4, and her choreographic sequence was Level 1. In the second half, she completed a triple Lutz, a triple flip-double Axel sequence and a triple flip. She closed with Level 4 marks on her flying change-foot combination spin, step sequence and change-foot combination spin. Shin Jia of Sewha High School, also making her Olympic debut, placed 11th with a free-skate score of 141.02 (75.05 TES, 65.97 PCS). Combined with her short program score of 65.66, she finished with 206.68. Shin bettered her previous official personal best in the free skate of 138.95 from the 2024 ISU World Junior Championships, but fell short of her official personal best total of 212.43. After finishing 14th in the short program on Feb. 18 following a jump error, Shin skated 11th of 24 in the free. Skating to “Liebestraum,” she opened with a clean double Axel, then landed a triple Lutz-triple loop combination and a triple Salchow. She wobbled on the landing of her triple loop and touched the boards but stayed on her feet. She received Level 3 on her change-foot combination spin, then stayed steady in the second half, which carries a 10% bonus. She completed a triple flip-double toe loop-double loop combination, a triple flip-double Axel sequence and a final triple Lutz. Despite a Level 2 on her flying camel spin, she finished with a Level 4 step sequence, a choreographic sequence and a Level 4 flying change-foot combination spin. The women’s singles gold medal went to American Alysa Liu with 226.79. After placing third in the short program, she moved into first with a free-skate score of 150.20. Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto won silver with 224.90, and Japan’s Ami Nakai took bronze with 219.16.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 07:51:00
  • South Korea’s Shin Jia sets personal-best free skate at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Lee Hae-in posts season best
    South Korea’s Shin Jia sets personal-best free skate at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Lee Hae-in posts season best South Korea’s women’s singles figure skaters Shin Jia (Sehwa Girls’ High School) and Lee Hae-in (Korea University) delivered strong performances in their first Olympics. Shin scored 141.02 points in the free skate on Feb. 20 (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, earning 75.05 in technical elements (TES) and 65.97 in program components (PCS). With her short program score of 65.66, she finished with 206.68 overall. Her free-skate score topped her previous official personal best of 138.95 set at the 2024 International Skating Union (ISU) World Junior Championships. She fell just short of her official personal-best total of 212.43. After placing 14th in the short program on Feb. 18 following a jump error, Shin skated 11th among 24 competitors in the free. Performing to “Liebestraum,” she opened with a clean double Axel, then landed a triple Lutz-triple loop combination and a triple Salchow. She wobbled on the landing of a triple loop and touched the boards but stayed on her feet. She completed a change-foot combination spin at Level 3 to close the first half, then remained steady in the bonus second half. Shin landed a triple flip-double toe loop-double loop combination, a triple flip-double Axel sequence and a final triple Lutz. She received Level 2 on the flying camel spin but finished with a Level 4 step sequence, a choreo sequence and a Level 4 flying change-foot combination spin. Lee also turned in a composed free skate, scoring 140.49 with 74.15 TES and 66.34 PCS. Combined with her short program score of 70.07, she posted 210.56 overall. The results marked season bests for Lee in both the free skate and total score, surpassing the 132.06 free-skate score and 196.84 total she recorded at the ISU Challenger Series Denis Ten Memorial Challenge last October. Lee’s official personal best in the free skate is 148.57, set at the 2023 Team Trophy, and her personal-best total is 225.47. Lee, who was ninth after the short program with a season-best score, skated 16th in the free. Performing to the opera “Carmen,” she opened with a steady double Axel-triple toe loop combination and followed with a clean triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop combination. She also landed a triple Salchow and triple loop, then earned Level 4 on the flying camel spin and Level 1 on the choreo sequence. In the second half, Lee completed a triple Lutz, a triple flip-double Axel sequence and a triple flip. She closed with Level 4 marks on the flying change-foot combination spin, step sequence and change-foot combination spin.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 07:06:00
  • Cha Jun-hwan finishes fourth in Olympic men’s figure skating, won’t call it his last Games
    Cha Jun-hwan finishes fourth in Olympic men’s figure skating, won’t call it his last Games Cha Jun-hwan (Seoul City Hall) finished fourth in men’s singles at his third Olympics and said he is not ready to put a period on his career. Cha posted a total score of 273.92 points to place fourth in the men’s singles free skate at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, which ended at Milan Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 14 (Korea time). He missed the bronze by 0.98 points behind Japan’s Shun Sato (274.90). Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won gold with 291.58, and Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama took silver with 280.06. In a recent interview with Samsung Electronics after the competition, Cha said, “I had three events at this Olympics, and each one was a ‘decisive moment’ I couldn’t leave out.” He added, “We competed in the team event for the first time in eight years, and I think I achieved everything I set out to do in the individual event. I think it will be an Olympics I remember for a long time.” Cha placed 15th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, then set a new personal best with fifth at the 2022 Beijing Games. He did not reach the podium in Milan, but his fourth-place finish marked South Korea’s best-ever result in Olympic men’s singles. He is the second South Korean men’s figure skater to compete in three consecutive Olympics, after Chung Sung-il (1988, 1992, 1994). “Going to three Olympics helped me grow my own dream,” Cha said. “Of course, there were moments when I had no choice but to break down. Each time, my family and my coaches helped me back up, so I didn’t have to give up on my dream.” He said he now feels responsibility as a senior member of the national team. “I want to think about the younger skaters and encourage them,” he said, adding that being a two-time Olympian gave him the strength to keep moving forward. Cha said injuries and setbacks during preparation left him thinking first of rest after the event. “I think I’ve never really had proper rest through three Olympics,” he said. “I want to give myself a break.” Cha also pushed back on talk that Milan was his final Olympics, leaving open the possibility of a fourth appearance. “Even before the Olympics started, people used the phrase ‘last dance,’ but I’ve never said that myself,” he said. He added that he could not predict what would come four years later even after Beijing. “I just went season by season, and I ended up in Milan,” he said. “Four years is a long time, so I can’t even imagine the 2030 Alps Olympics right now. I believe that if I keep living my life, I’ll find my ‘path.’” Asked to sum up the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics in one word, Cha answered “Piantao,” which he said is Spanish for “crazy.” He said it is a line he has long liked from the lyrics of his free-skate music, “Ballad for a Madman.” “It’s shouted three times in the song, and that feeling comes across as very real and honest,” he said. After completing his Olympic schedule, Cha is set to skate in the figure skating gala show on Feb. 22 as an invited athlete from the International Skating Union (ISU).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 05:00:38
  • South Korea Women’s Curling Team Falls to Canada, Misses Semifinals at 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics
    South Korea Women’s Curling Team Falls to Canada, Misses Semifinals at 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics World No. 3 South Korea’s women’s curling team, Gyeonggi Province, failed to reach the semifinals at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The team — skip Kim Eun-ji, third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, lead Seol Ye-eun and fifth Seol Ye-ji — lost 10-7 to Canada on Feb. 19 (Korea time) in its ninth and final round-robin game at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. South Korea entered the match tied for third at 4-4 with Canada and the United States. A win would have clinched a semifinal berth regardless of other results. Instead, South Korea fell to world No. 2 Canada and finished tied for fifth at 5-4. In women’s curling, 10 teams play nine round-robin games, with the top four advancing to the semifinals. Sweden finished first at 7-2. The United States, Switzerland and Canada followed at 6-3 to claim the remaining semifinal spots. South Korea trailed early after giving up one point in each of the first two ends, but took three in the third to move ahead. Canada scored two in the fourth, and South Korea answered with one in the fifth to make it 4-4 at the break. The turning point came in the sixth end. With South Korea facing multiple Canadian stones in scoring position, Kim Eun-ji’s final shot failed to clear them, and Canada scored four to take an 8-4 lead. South Korea scored one in the seventh, then allowed one in the eighth. It pulled within 9-7 with two points in the ninth and looked for a comeback in the 10th, but could not steal, sealing the 10-7 loss. 2026-02-20 02:03:00
  • Snowboarder Kim Sang-gyeom, Milan 2026 silver medalist, sets sights on 2030 Olympic gold
    Snowboarder Kim Sang-gyeom, Milan 2026 silver medalist, sets sights on 2030 Olympic gold “I want to keep riding the snowboard I love and compete on the Olympic stage even in my 40s.” Kim Sang-gyeom, who won silver for High1 at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, said his path has been driven by a love of “snow” and “board,” even when reality was far from romantic. In an interview with this newspaper on Feb. 14, Kim said the Olympics had been “so desperately important” to him. “I’ve never chased money while snowboarding. I got this far because I love snowboarding,” he said. “I may be slow, but I’m an athlete who doesn’t quit. I think the Olympic medal came because I kept going steadily.” ◆Years of hardship before the podium Kim won silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom final on Feb. 8, finishing 0.19 seconds behind the winner. It was the first medal for South Korea’s team at these Olympics. He wiped away tears during a TV interview after the race, overwhelmed by what he described as 12 years of pent-up emotion. “I’m not usually someone who cries, but I think that changed this time,” Kim said, adding with embarrassment that people now tease him for being more emotional. Before the success, he said, he struggled to make ends meet when there was no company team. During training periods, he worked part-time one day each weekend, and in the offseason he took day labor jobs at construction sites. Equipment costs were another burden. Kim said his 195-centimeter board costs several million won each, and because boards wear out, he replaces them regularly. “I ride five or six boards in a season, and the fixed cost alone is 25 million to 30 million won,” he said. Joining the High1 sports team in 2019 became a turning point, he said. “With financial breathing room, I became mentally stable, too,” Kim said. “I didn’t have to spend my salary on equipment, and I could get support for training camps, so I could focus only on training.” ◆“My wife is my strength” Even with better support, the Olympics remained a steep climb. Kim debuted at the 2014 Sochi Games, finishing 17th in qualifying. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, he failed to reach the round of 16. At the 2022 Beijing Games, he placed 24th in qualifying and was eliminated. Kim said family helped him endure the setbacks, especially his wife, Park Han-sol, whom he married in 2023. “Once I had a family and someone I had to take responsibility for, it was different,” he said. “It felt like I had someone completely on my side.” He added, “I had to raise my performance because I had to support my family. That urgency and responsibility overlapped, and after that my results started trending upward.” Kim said his wife was the first person who came to mind after he crossed the finish line in the final. “The moment I won silver, all I could think was that I wanted to go home and see my wife,” he said. “After the race we video-called, and we both just kept crying without saying anything.” Asked about being labeled a devoted husband after the Games, Kim said, “Not at all. I’m blunt and not good at expressing myself, but I think people saw it kindly.” ◆Next goal: 2030 Olympic gold At 37, Kim said he is already looking ahead four years. In men’s parallel giant slalom, he noted, athletes in their late 30s and early 40s often remain competitive. “This silver medal is incredibly valuable, but it’s also true that I feel some regret,” he said. “Every athlete wants to be first. I’m the same.” He said he plans to challenge the 2030 Alps Winter Olympics and aims to stand on the top step of the podium. “Next time, I want to put on a gold medal and really cry my eyes out,” he said with a laugh. Asked how he wants to be remembered, Kim said, “As an athlete who doesn’t give up even in hard moments, and someone who can be a good example for younger athletes. I hope I’m remembered as someone who proved that steady effort can bring good results.” ◆South Korean snowboarding posts best-ever Olympic result Kim’s silver helped spark what the article described as a renaissance for South Korean snowboarding at these Games. Yoo Seung-eun of Seongbok High School won a surprise bronze in women’s big air, becoming South Korea’s first female medalist in the sport at the Olympics. Choi Ga-on won gold in halfpipe, delivering South Korea’s first-ever gold medal in a snow event. The article said she fell in her first final run and suffered a serious injury, but did not quit and produced a dramatic performance on her third run to take the title. NBC, the U.S. Olympic broadcaster, named it one of the best moments of the first half of the Games, the article said. South Korea finished the Olympics with one gold, one silver and one bronze in snowboarding. It ranked third in the sport behind Japan (four gold, two silver, three bronze) and Austria (two gold, one silver, one bronze), the article said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 15:48:00
  • Korea women salvage short track pride with relay gold amid short-track medal drought
    Korea women salvage short track pride with relay gold amid short-track medal drought SEOUL, February 19 (AJP) -South Korea staged a dramatic late comeback to reclaim the women’s 3,000-meter short track relay title at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday, restoring pride in one of the nation’s signature events. Anchored by Kim Gil-li, the Korean quartet surged past Italy in the final two laps to win gold in 4 minutes, 4.014 seconds at the Milan Ice Skating Arena. The team, also featuring Choi Min-jeong, Shim Suk-hee and Noh Do-hee, edged host Italy by just 0.093 seconds, with Canada finishing third in 4:04.314. Defending champions the Netherlands were eliminated from contention after a crash with 16 laps remaining, setting up a three-way battle among Korea, Italy and Canada. Italy, led by veteran star Arianna Fontana, controlled much of the closing phase and entered the final two laps in front. Kim, however, accelerated down the inside lane and lunged across the line to seal victory, triggering emotional celebrations among the Korean skaters. “This was a team effort,” Choi said in a broadcast interview. “We trusted each other, and that made the difference.” First short track gold in Milan The relay triumph marked South Korea’s first gold medal in short track at these Games and its second gold overall. It also reaffirmed the country’s dominance in the event, where it has now won seven of the 10 Olympic titles since its debut at the 1992 Albertville Games. For Choi, the victory carried special significance. The gold was her sixth Olympic medal, making her the most decorated Korean woman in Winter Games history. The win also capped a renewed partnership between Choi and Shim, whose relationship had been strained following incidents after the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Ahead of Milan-Cortina, Choi, now team captain, reached out first, helping rebuild trust and improve cohesion within the squad. Their roles were adjusted for the relay, with Choi leading off and Shim skating fourth, maximizing speed and pushing power during exchanges. Curlers keep semifinal hopes alive Elsewhere, South Korea’s women’s curling team boosted its semifinal chances with an emphatic 8–3 win over Sweden at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Skip Gim Eun-ji led Korea to an 8–0 lead through four ends, highlighted by a promotion takeout in the opener. Sweden, skipped by Anna Hasselborg, conceded after seven ends. The victory improved Korea’s round-robin record to 5–3. The team will face Canada on Thursday with a place in the semifinals at stake. Despite the relay breakthrough, South Korea has yet to win an individual short track gold in Milan-Cortina. Only two events remain: the men’s 500 meters on Thursday and the women’s 1,500 meters on Feb. 21. No Korean skater advanced to the men’s 500-meter final, leaving the women’s 1,500 meters—led by Choi and Kim—as the nation’s final opportunity for individual gold. So far, Korea has collected one silver and two bronze medals in individual short track events. Failure to secure a gold would mark its first individual shutout since short track became an Olympic sport in 1992. 2026-02-19 07:59:47
  • South Korea wins women’s 3,000-meter short track relay gold at Milan Olympics
    South Korea wins women’s 3,000-meter short track relay gold at Milan Olympics South Korea’s women reclaimed the Olympic title in the 3,000-meter short track relay, pulling together as a unified team and delivering a late comeback to reassert their dominance. South Korea, made up of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li (both Seongnam City Hall), Noh Do-hee (Hwaseong City Hall) and Shim Suk-hee (Seoul City Hall), won the final at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy in 4 minutes, 4.014 seconds, finishing first. It was the short track team’s first gold medal of these Games. South Korea had earlier won bronze in the men’s 1,000 meters by Lim Jong-eon (Goyang City Hall), silver in the men’s 1,500 by Hwang Dae-heon (Gangwon Provincial Office), and bronze in the women’s 1,000 by Kim. The country’s other gold came on Feb. 13 in women’s snowboard halfpipe by Choi Ga-on (Sehwa High School). South Korea’s overall medal total rose to seven (two gold, two silver, three bronze). The win also highlighted renewed teamwork between Choi and Shim, whose relationship had been strained after a series of incidents that surfaced following the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. The two had once been placed to avoid each other during relay exchanges, but the mood shifted ahead of these Olympics after captain Choi reached out and Shim responded. They trained together consistently, and Choi even joined Shim’s birthday party as the team worked to rebuild trust. Their cooperation led to a tactical change: Shim, known for strong pushing power, skated fourth, while the faster Choi led off. The plan was for Shim to drive Choi forward to maximize acceleration. The final swung dramatically. Choi, skating first, opened in front, but South Korea ran into trouble midrace. With 20 laps remaining, Kim was pushed back by the Netherlands and dropped to third. The biggest scare came with 16 laps left, when a Dutch skater fell; Choi checked up to avoid contact and South Korea lost ground. Choi regained balance and speed, and Kim, Noh and Shim worked to close the gap. With five laps left, the team’s strategy paid off. Shim powered Choi forward, and South Korea passed Canada to move into second. Choi held position and handed off to anchor Kim. With two laps remaining, Kim surged on the inside to pass Italy and held on to win. Afterward, Choi said, “My teammates did so well. I think we got a good result because we could trust each other. I’m happy.” Shim said, “There were many difficult situations while preparing for the Olympics. Still, we endured and stayed united. I could feel that we were preparing while trusting each other. I want to say thank you to my teammates for being here with me.” The victory again underscored the women’s 3,000 relay as one of South Korea’s most successful Winter Olympic events. Since it became an official Olympic event at the 1992 Albertville Games, South Korea has won seven gold medals in 10 Olympics. The team also erased the disappointment of silver at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Choi added another milestone. The gold gave her six career Olympic medals (four gold, two silver), tying the South Korean record for most Olympic gold medals (four) held by Kim Soo-nyung (archery), Jin Jong-oh (shooting) and Jeon Yi-kyung (short track). She also moved into sole possession of the South Korean short track record for most Olympic medals, surpassing Jeon and Park Seung-hi (five each), and tied the overall South Korean record for most Olympic medals across Summer and Winter Games with six. Host Italy took silver in 4:04.107, and Canada won bronze in 4:04.314. 2026-02-19 06:39:00
  • South Korea Wins Women’s 3,000-Meter Short Track Relay Gold at Milan Olympics
    South Korea Wins Women’s 3,000-Meter Short Track Relay Gold at Milan Olympics South Korea’s women won gold in the short track 3,000-meter relay at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, rallying late in the final. The team of Choi Min-jeong, Kim Gil-li (both of Seongnam City Hall), Noh Do-hee (Hwaseong City Hall) and Shim Suk-hee (Seoul City Hall) finished first Thursday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in 4:04.014. Host Italy took silver in 4:04.107, and Canada won bronze in 4:04.314. It was South Korea’s first gold medal in short track at these Games. Earlier, Lim Jong-eon won bronze in the men’s 1,000 meters, Hwang Dae-heon took silver in the men’s 1,500, and Kim won bronze in the women’s 1,000. The victory was South Korea’s second gold of the Olympics, following Choi Ga-on’s win in the women’s snowboard halfpipe on Feb. 13. South Korea’s overall medal total rose to seven (2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze). Choi Min-jeong, now a three-time Olympic gold medalist, increased her career Olympic haul to six medals (4 gold, 2 silver). The totals tied the South Korean records for most Olympic gold medals (four) and most Olympic medals across the Summer and Winter Games (six). The women’s 3,000-meter relay has long been one of South Korea’s strongest Winter Olympic events. Since it became an Olympic medal event at the 1992 Albertville Games, South Korea has won seven gold medals in 10 Olympics. South Korea first won relay gold at the 1994 Lillehammer Games and then captured four straight titles through Nagano in 1998, Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin in 2006. The team was disqualified in the 2010 Vancouver final, but returned to win back-to-back gold in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018. After taking silver behind the Netherlands at the 2022 Beijing Games, South Korea regained the top spot in Milan.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 05:30:00
  • Shiffrin wins Olympic slalom gold for first time in eight years at Milan-Cortina Games
    Shiffrin wins Olympic slalom gold for first time in eight years at Milan-Cortina Games Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States won a Winter Olympics gold medal for the first time in eight years. Shiffrin captured the women's slalom title at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 18 (Korean time) at the Tofane Alpine Ski Center in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. She posted a combined time of 1 minute, 39.10 seconds over two runs. The victory marked Shiffrin's first Olympic gold since 2018. She previously won slalom gold at the 2014 Sochi Games and giant slalom gold, plus a silver in the combined, at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. She left the 2022 Beijing Games without a medal. At these Games, Shiffrin had missed the podium in her first two events, finishing fourth in the team combined and 11th in the giant slalom. In her signature event, she delivered. Shiffrin entered as the top slalom skier after winning all five women's slalom races on the 2025-26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup circuit. She led after the first run in 47.13 seconds. Though she slowed to 51.97 in the second run, her total time still held up for gold. Switzerland's Camille Rast took silver in 1:40.60, and Sweden's Anna Swenn Larsson won bronze in 1:40.81. South Korea's Kim Sohee (Seoul City Hall) and Park Seoyun (Korea National Sport University) did not finish the first run.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 01:54:00