Four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion Choi Min-jeong has announced her retirement from professional sports at the end of next season, The Korea Times reported on Tuesday.
Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong is the Republic of Korea's most decorated athlete at the Olympic Games. With a gold medal in the relay and a silver medal in the 1500m at Milan-Cortina 2026, Choi has won seven Olympic medals. With this achievement, Min-jeong sets the Republic of Korea's record for the most Olympic medals won by a competitor in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.
At the end of the 2026 Winter Games, Choi said that the Olympics in Italy were her last, but did not rule out the possibility of participating in other international competitions. Now, the 27-year-old athlete has announced that she will end her career after the 2026/27 season. The short track speed skater made this statement after completing the first stage of the national team qualifying competition for next season.
“I think this will be my last national team qualifier. If I make it to the team, this will be my last season representing the country.”
Min Jeong admitted that she considered ending her career before the Olympics. But according to the short track speed skater, her decision was influenced by her desire to compete at the 2027 World Championships, which will be special for her.
“I was thinking about ending my international career before the Winter Olympics. The fact that the World Championships next season [in March 2027] will be held in Seoul influenced my decision. I wanted to say goodbye in front of the fans on home ice.”
Choi Min-joong: what is known about the short track racer?
- 27-year-old short track runner from the Republic of Korea.
- The 2026 Olympics in Italy will be the third in the Korean's career. In total, Choi has seven Olympic medals, four of which are gold and three silver. The Korean won twice in the 1500 m distance and twice in the relay races. She won silver medals in the 1000 m and 1500 m distances, as well as in the relay.
- In addition to her Olympic victories, Choi has also won 19 world championship gold medals. During her professional career, the short track speed skater also won six silver and one bronze world championship medals.