South Korea's Short Track Team Crashes Out of Mixed Relay Semifinal

South Korea's short track speed skating team failed to advance to the mixed relay final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics after colliding with a fallen American skater in the semifinal. Following the race, coach Kim Min-jung was seen running toward the judges carrying $100 in cash to file a protest.

The mixed relay team finished third in the 2000m semifinal at Milan's Ice Skating Arena on January 10, missing the final berth awarded only to the top two teams in each heat. South Korea was running in third place when American skater Corinne Stoddard, who was leading the race, fell with eight laps remaining. Kim Gil-li, trailing close behind, had no time to avoid the collision and went down as well.

Despite falling, Kim Gil-li quickly passed the baton to Choi Min-jung. However, the gap with the leading teams had already widened significantly. South Korea finished with a time of 2:46.554, behind Canada and Belgium.

Under International Skating Union rules, teams must submit both a written protest and cash payment to request a review. The system is designed to prevent frivolous appeals and encourage protests only when there is solid evidence. Cash is required because payment and refunds must be processed immediately on site. If the protest is upheld, the money is returned; if rejected, the ISU keeps it.

South Korea sought advancement through this procedure, but the ruling stood. While skaters affected by other competitors during a race may receive relief depending on circumstances, they must have been maintaining a position that would qualify them for the next round. Since only the top two teams advance from the semifinal, South Korea's third-place position at the time of the collision made them ineligible for relief.

"It's disappointing, but we were in third place when the collision occurred, so relief could not be applied," a team official said.

South Korea fielded its top lineup of Choi Min-jung, Kim Gil-li, Hwang Dae-heon, and Lim Jong-eon for the semifinal, competing against Canada, the United States, and Belgium.