In a thrilling display of speed and teamwork, South Korea secured the first gold medal of the ninth Asian Winter Games held in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The victory came in the short-track speed skating 2,000-meter mixed relay final on Saturday morning.
The South Korean team, comprising Kim Gil-li, Choi Min-jeong, Park Ji-won, and Kim Tae-sung, crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 2:41.534. Kim Tae-sung made a decisive move in the final two laps, propelling his team to victory. Kazakhstan followed closely, earning the silver medal with a time of 2:42.258, while Japan took bronze, finishing at 2:44.058.
The host nation, China, entered the race as the favorites, maintaining a significant lead for most of the competition. However, a critical crash by Lin Xiaojun in the penultimate lap changed the course of the event, preventing China from reaching the podium as they ultimately finished in fourth place.
South Korea's triumph marks a strong start for the athletes at the Asian Winter Games, setting the stage for intense competition in the days to come.
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South Korea secures first gold medal of 9th Asian Winter Games
cgtn.com
