Kim Gil-li's 'Lamborghini' sprint wins by 0.009 seconds... Takes gold in 1000m at World Championships
She's done it again. Stepping out from the shadow of 'post-Choi Min-jeong' talk to firmly establish herself as the new face of Korean short track, Kim Gil-li (Seongnam City Hall) powered her way to gold at the World Championships, showcasing her undeniable strength and nerves of steel. After being crowned MVP of the Korean team with two golds at the Milan Olympics last month, she turned the Montreal ice into her own personal stage.
'The Outside Lane Rebellion'... A 0.009-second Miracle
The women's 1000m final at the 2026 ISU Short Track World Championships, held at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, Canada, on the 15th (local time). Kim Gil-li was given the toughest starting position: lane five, the outermost on the track. But what seemed like a disadvantage only served to ignite the explosive overtaking instinct that's earned her the nickname 'Lambor-gil-li'.
The early race was a test of patience. Biding her time at the back, Kim made her move with just two laps to go. As Xandra Velzeboer (Netherlands) and Elisa Confortola (Italy) battled for the lead, Kim swung wide to the outside of the pack, taking the long route to surge from the back straight into third place in the blink of an eye.
The race was decided on the final corner. Hot on the heels of leader Velzeboer, Kim used incredible flexibility as she came out of the turn, stretching her left skate blade to get her boot across the line first. The official time was 1:28.843, a mere 0.009 seconds ahead of Velzeboer (1:28.852). It was a dramatic, photo-finish victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.
"Montreal just clicks with me"... Adding the World title to Olympic gold
This gold medal means more than just another win. Earlier, Kim had won gold in the women's 1500m and 3000m relay at the Milan Olympics, but had to settle for bronze in the 1000m, edged out by her rival Velzeboer. Just one month later at the World Championships, she perfectly avenged that loss, proving she is the undisputed queen of the women's 1000m.
After the race, a smiling Kim said, "I seem to have a special connection with the city of Montreal. The ice quality and the atmosphere here really suit me, allowing me to race with more confidence and aggression." Showing her witty side, she added, "My nickname is 'Lambor-gil-li', and I always want to live up to it by showing fast and powerful racing. I think the nickname actually makes me faster!"
Kim wasn't the only one delivering a one-two punch for Korea. In the men's division, Lim Jong-un (Goyang City Hall), nicknamed 'Ferrari', clocked 2:14.974 to take gold in the men's 1500m final, showcasing the depth of Korean short track to the world. His win is particularly meaningful as it brings a brilliant end to his season after a disappointing fall in the Olympic quarter-finals.
Here's a summary of the team's key achievements so far:
- Kim Gil-li: Gold in women's 1000m (adding World Championship gold to her two Olympic titles)
- Lim Jong-un: Gold in men's 1500m (a golden finish to his first senior season)
- Men's Relay: Qualified for the 5000m relay final
- Mixed Relay: Qualified for the 2000m relay final (team: Lim Jong-un, Kim Gil-li, Hwang Dae-heon, Lee So-yeon)
Kim Gil-li and Lim Jong-un have carried the thrilling momentum from the Olympics straight into the World Championships. It's reasons like this that make the future of Korean short track so exciting. Kim is set to compete in the women's 1500m heats on the 16th, aiming for her second gold of the tournament. All eyes will be on Montreal to see if 'Lambor-gil-li' can unleash her unstoppable speed once again.