Choi Min-jeong to lead off short track mixed relay
Korean short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong trains for the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Sunday. Yonhap
MILAN — The most accomplished member of the Korean short track speed skating team said Sunday she will be the leadoff in the upcoming mixed team relay race at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Choi Min-jeong, a three-time gold medalist competing at her third Olympics, announced her plan to be the first skater of the relay race after a training session at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Sunday, two days before the 2,000-meter mixed relay.
"I worked really hard on my start today," Choi said. "I will go out there and bring back great results."
The mixed team relay goes for 18 laps, and countries will each have two female and two male skaters. They must follow this specific order: female No. 1, female No. 2, male No. 1, male No. 2, female No. 1, female No. 2, male No. 1 and male No. 2.
Each skater skates 2 1/2 laps on the first leg and two laps on the second leg.
When asked if she was worried about revealing her plans too early for opponents, Choi said: "I am sure other teams already know I will lead things off. It shouldn't be a major problem."
With Choi leading off, Korea won the mixed relay gold medal at the third International Skating Union Short Track World Tour stop of this season in Poland in November 2025. At the same competition, Choi won bronze in the women's 500m -- the only World Cup medal this season by a Korean short tracker in that distance.
"We've struggled in short distance events, but if we get off to a quick start, it will give us a great chance to win," Choi said. "I will give it everything I have. Having a good start doesn't require any special strategy. You have to be as quick as possible and not get pushed around when you try to jostle for position."
The mixed team relay will start from the quarterfinals, and Choi said she won't hold back even in the early stages.
"We have to finish high in the semifinals to get an inside lane in the final," she said. "So we have to go all-in from the semifinals. We have so many talented skaters, and I will take the ice with complete trust in my teammates.
"We've all done the best we could to prepare for this," Choi continued. "And now we will wait and see what's in store for us."