Short tracker Choi Min-jeong captures women's 1,500m world title

Korean short track star Choi Min-jeong claimed gold in the women's 1,500 meters at the world championships in China on Sunday.

Choi held off Courtney Sarault of Canada for Korea's first gold medal at the International Skating Union World Short Track Championships at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Another Korean skater, Kim Gil-li, got the bronze medal.

This was Choi's 13th career world title. She has been the world overall champion four times, most recently in 2022.

Choi had won the 2022 Olympic gold medal in the 1,500m at the same Beijing rink.

Korea was shut out of medals on Saturday, with Choi placing fifth in the women's 1,000m and Park Ji-won finishing fourth in the men's 1,500m.

Choi and Kim both stayed in the back of the seven-skater pack early in the 13.5-lap race. Then with seven laps remaining, Choi moved into the lead, with Kim stuck in fifth place.

Choi and Sarault were neck and neck for the top spot with three laps left, and Kim barely avoided getting wiped out as three skaters fell with two laps to go.

Choi stayed just in front of Sarault as they crossed the line, and Kim stayed on her feet to get the bronze by a comfortable margin.

For Korea, a male and a female skater who wins at least one individual gold medal, and leads his and her team in overall rankings will each receive an automatic spot on the national team for the 2025-26 season — and thus qualify for the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. (Yonhap)