Kim Gil-li Targets New Records in 'Gilli Style' After Olympic Glory

"I learned how to enjoy skating at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. After the Olympics, my skating sense, speed, and overall performance clearly improved, and I won my first-ever double crown (1000m and 1500m) at the World Championships. I want to race in my own style and create new records and history." Kim Gil-li (22, Seongnam City Hall), nicknamed "Lamborgilli," told the Seoul Economic Daily in a recent interview at Olympic Parktel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, "I want to win gold not only in the 1500m but also in the 500m and 1000m at the Olympics." Kim has emerged as the undisputed next-generation ace of Korean women's short track following the retirement of "Ice Queen" Choi Min-jeong. She must pick up the baton from Choi, who has been her idol and role model since childhood. The pressure could be immense, but Kim gave a confident answer. "I don't feel burdened about filling Min-jeong unni's shoes," she said. "I think if I build my records one by one, her void will naturally be filled." Kim won two gold medals at this Winter Olympics in the short track 1500m and women's 3000m relay. She also earned a bronze in the 1000m. Buoyed by that confidence, she claimed her first career double crown (1500m and 1000m) at the 2026 ISU World Short Track Championships in Montreal, showcasing her surging form. "My condition wasn't great early in the season, but it improved as the season went on and the results followed," Kim said. "It was a season I finished without regrets, and I want to tell myself, 'You worked hard.'" As the World Championships double crown winner, Kim has automatically secured her spot on the national team for next season. She will not need to go through the national team trials next month. "The national team trials are fiercer and longer than you can imagine," she said with a smile. "If I had to go through the trials after the Olympics and the World Championships, it would have been physically exhausting, so I'm relieved to be automatically selected." Kim's ultimate career goal had been an individual Olympic gold medal, but she found a new objective after this Olympics — setting personal goals each season and achieving them one by one. "My goal as an athlete is to set targets I want to achieve each season and accomplish them," she said emphatically. "Next year, the World Championships will be held in Korea for the first time in four years, so I want to perform well in front of domestic fans and defend my double crown title." Kim earned her nickname "Lamborgilli" for her explosive skating style of overtaking opponents with burst speed. She says she would be happy if her racing can give energy to others. "Sometimes people tell me they were greatly inspired by watching my races. Every time that happens, I feel truly proud. I hope my skating gives positive energy to many people. That's why I always try to maintain a bright demeanor when I compete."

Kim Gil-li Targets New Records in 'Gilli Style' After Olympic Glory

Mine-Hunting Dolphins Return to Spotlight

Defense AI Will Determine Military Power

SK hynix Is Not the Benchmark for Bonus Standards

Gwanwoldang Return Marks Beginning, Not End

Parents Who Raise Top-Tier Children

Hyundai Motor Heads to Silicon Valley to Recruit Future Tech Talent

Smart Glasses Sales Hit 8.7 Million in 2024, Korea's Share Near Zero

SK Broadband to Train All Employees in AI, Target 400 "AI Performers"

Samsung Group ETF Surges 57% This Year on Chip, Battery Rally

Google, Marvell Launch Two AI Inference Chips; Pilot Production Next Year