Harbin, China, February 8, 2025: Korea’s short-track speed skaters dominated the opening day of competition at a packed Heilongjiang Ice Events Training Centre Multifunctional Hall on Saturday.
Korea won four out of five events, including the first gold medal of the 9th Asian Winter Games, while host nation China had to settle for just one gold.
The day began in thrilling style, in the mixed 2,000-metre relay. China surged into the lead from Korea late in the race, only for Lin Xiaojun to hit a marker and tumble to the ice.
This mishap allowed Korea to speed through for gold with Kim Gil-li, Park Ji-won, Choi Min-jeong and Kim Tae-sung for the inaugural Winter Asiad gold in the mixed event. Kazakhstan took silver and Japan bronze, while China missed out on a medal in the opening event of the AWG.
Kim Gil-li then picked up her second gold medal of the day in the women's 1,500m.
Moments later, Park joined Kim as a double gold medalist by winning the men's 1,500m title. His teammate Jang Sung-woo took the bronze.
Choi then led an historic podium sweep for Korea in the women's 500m, taking the gold medal ahead of Kim Gil-li and Lee So-yeon. Choi became the first Korean to win the women's 500m title at an Asian Winter Games, while denying Kim her third gold of the day.
China's only short track gold of the day came from Lin Xiaojun in the men's 500 metres.
The short track competition will wrap up Sunday with the four remaining finals: the women's and men's 1,000m, the women's 3,000m relay and the men's 5,000m relay.
Korea arrived in Harbin with a goal of winning six out of nine gold medals in short track.
(Yonhap News)