Choi Min-jeong of Korea, right, celebrates with teammate Kim Gil-li after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter relay in short track speed skating at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Wednesday. Yonhap

MILAN — With a standout performance at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday, short track speed skating star Choi Min-jeong tied multiple Korean Olympic medal records.

Choi led Korea to the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter relay at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, joining Kim Gil-li, Shim Suk-hee and Noh Do-hee to hold off Italy and Canada.

This was Choi's sixth career Olympic medal, tying her for the most medals by a Korean athlete. She is on level with former shooter Jin Jong-oh, ex-archer Kim Soo-nyung and speed skater Lee Seung-hoon.

And Choi also tied ex-short tracker Chun Lee-kyung for the most Winter Games gold medals by a Korean athlete.

"Before this Olympics, I was really grateful for the opportunity to chase the record," Choi said. "It feels like a dream to be able to achieve that record with this medal. I am really happy."

Choi Min-jeong of Korea, left, celebrates with teammate Kim Gil-li after winning the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter relay in short track speed skating at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Wednesday. Yonhap

This was Choi's fourth opportunity to get on the board in Milan. Earlier in the competition, Korea crashed out early in the mixed team relay with Choi in action, while Choi couldn't get to the finals in the women's 500m and 1,000m.

Choi will have one more opportunity to win a medal in Milan on Friday in the 1,500m, where she is the two-time defending champion. She will try to become the first short track speed skater ever to win three consecutive gold medals in the same distance.

Choi, 27, began her Olympic career by winning the women's 1,500m and the 3,000m relay gold medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. Then four years later in Beijing, Choi repeated as the 1,500m champion while adding silver medals in the 1,000m and the 3,000m relay.

Source: Korea Times News