Shim Seok-hee grabs gold medal at Sapporo AG short-track

Shim Seok-hee grabs gold medal at Sapporo AG short-track. February. 23, 2017 07:14. by Jae-Yeong Yoo elegant@donga.com. Shim Seok-hee (20, Korea National Sport University) neither ducked her head nor was nervous. Leaving her yesterday’s misfortune behind, she instantly paid her debt. Shim won the gold medal at the ladies 1,000-meter short-track on Wednesday at the Asian Winter Games, which was held at Makomanai Indoor Skating Rink in Sapporo, northern Japan. Her chase for the gold continued as she won another gold at the 3,000-meter relay with Choi Min-jeong (19, Seongnam City Hall), Noh Do-hee (22, Korea National Sport University), Kim Ji-yoo (18, Hwajeong High School).

When Shim led the way, Choi gave a thrust on the back. After winning a gold medal at the ladies 1,500-meter short-track on the first day, she followed Shim and won a silver medal at the 1,000-meter event. Choi presented the gold to the national team when she turned up as the finisher at the 3,000-meter relay and claimed the lead over the Chinese Guo Yihan before finishing the last circuit. Shim and Choi, the two leading Korean ladies short-track stars, were crowned for two consecutive rounds.

“I don’t regret (the 500-meter result) anymore. I think I have proved that I made up for my shortfalls during this Asian Games, and I thank Choi for finishing the relay first despite the heavy burden,” said Shim. “It seems that other players are using hands when I’m highly likely to be the first one to cut the finish line. This would also be my check point at the next games.”

Choi reinforced her strengths through weight-training sessions before the event, becoming Shim’s powerful supporter and an arch enemy at the same time. “When Chinese players were both ahead and behind us, Shim and I planned strategies based on scenarios, which worked pretty well,” said Choi. “We promised to dominate golds and silvers together. I hope we can maintain this momentum to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics as well.”