Kim Yun-ji, the 2006-born "iron athlete" from BDH Paras who wrote new history by winning five medals at her first Paralympics, sent a message of encouragement urging students with disabilities to pursue sports without hesitation.
After completing her first Paralympics on March 15 (local time), Kim said at a press conference, "There are more students with disabilities who have talent but cannot showcase it due to internal and external factors than you might think. If anyone watched my races or other athletes' competitions and thought 'I want to do this,' they are truly welcome. If anyone felt attracted to the sport, I want to tell them to pursue sports without regret."
Kim won five medals at this competition. She claimed two gold medals to become the first Korean athlete to win two gold medals at a single Winter Paralympics, and added three silver medals to set a new record in Korean sports history for the most medals at a single competition. With this achievement, Kim became the first Korean athlete to win five medals at a single competition across both Summer and Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
"I actually caught a cold before the competition and was worried until the very last moment, but I'm happy with the unexpectedly good results," Kim said. "There are many veterans who have been competing in biathlon and cross-country for a long time. I'm glad I've become a competitive athlete who can compete against such athletes." She added, "I hate having regrets when I look back later. At this competition, I competed in every event without regret. I think I showed what I'm good at."
