Choi Min-jeong of South Korea celebrates on the ice after winning the silver medal in the women's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Feb. 20. Yonhap

South Korean short track speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong bid farewell to the Winter Olympics on Friday night in Italy, moments after becoming the country's most decorated Olympian.

Choi earned her seventh career medal with a silver behind teammate Kim Gil-li in the women's 1,500 meters at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan.

Though Choi came up just shy of becoming the first short tracker ever to win three straight gold medals in the same individual race, she set the record for the most Olympic medals by a South Korean athlete.

Moments after the medal ceremony, Choi, 27, announced she would end her illustrious Olympic career.

"I feel so relieved because I had such a great race. But at the same time, I am getting emotional, thinking this was my last Olympics," Choi said, fighting back tears. "While preparing for this season, I went through some mental and physical struggles. From the very beginning, I kept thinking this would be my last Olympics. I don't think you will see me at another Olympics."

Choi said there wasn't any one particular moment that compelled her to make this her last Olympics.

"It just came naturally," she said. "I've been banged up this season, and it was tough to get back to 100 percent physically. But I still think I did everything I could. I've accomplished so much and I don't have regrets."

Choi won two gold medals in her Olympic debut on home ice at PyeongChang 2018 and then collected three more medals, including one gold, four years later in Beijing. She kept her gold medal streak alive by helping South Korea to the 3,000m relay title here this week, before finishing off her Olympic career with the 1,500m silver.

Choi Min-jeong of South Korea celebrates on the podium after winning the silver medal in the women's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Feb. 20. Yonhap

Source: Korea Times News