Kim Yun-ji, a star athlete in parasports, claimed her second medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, achieving multiple-medal status.
Kim finished the women's sprint sit-ski cross-country final at Tesero Cross-Country Stadium in Italy on March 10 in 3 minutes 10.1 seconds, taking silver behind Oksana Masters of the United States.
Kim had already won South Korea's first Winter Paralympic gold medal for a female athlete in the women's 12.5km biathlon individual event on March 8. She extended her momentum by adding another medal in cross-country.
Kim is the first South Korean athlete to win multiple medals at a Winter Paralympics since Shin Eui-hyun, who captured one gold and one bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
Kim demonstrated strong performance throughout the day. She advanced from the heats in second place behind Masters, widely regarded as a Paralympic legend, then dominated the semifinals. She recorded 3 minutes 1.1 seconds in the second heat to qualify for the final with the fastest overall time.
Kim raced aggressively from the start of the final. She overtook Germany's Anja Wicker to take the lead but was passed by Masters on the final uphill section, crossing the finish line in second place.
Cross-country skiing involves racing through mountainous and snow-covered terrain on skis. The course includes uphill sections that demand strong cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. Kim, who competes in both biathlon and cross-country, will pursue additional medals in the 10km interval start event on March 11.