1. Overview
Kim Ji-yoo (김지유Kim Ji-yooKorean, born July 14, 1999) is a South Korean short track speed skater. She gained international recognition early in her career, winning three gold medals and finishing second overall at the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in February 2015. She continued to achieve significant success, including winning the overall title at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics and earning multiple medals in ISU World Cup events. Kim Ji-yoo has been a consistent member of the South Korean national short track team, showcasing resilience through injury and contributing to her country's strong presence in the sport.
2. Early Life and Education
Kim Ji-yoo's early life laid the foundation for her distinguished career in short track speed skating, encompassing her formative years and introduction to the sport through her educational journey.
2.1. Childhood and Academic Background
Kim Ji-yoo was born on July 14, 1999, in Seoul, South Korea. Her academic path included attendance at Seoul Seongdong Elementary School, Jeongsin Girls' Middle School, and Hwajeong High School.
2.2. Introduction to Short Track
Kim Ji-yoo began skating at the age of six, following her older brother to the rink. She officially started her career as a short track speed skater in the fourth grade of elementary school. By the sixth grade, she had already demonstrated her potential by winning three gold medals at the National Winter Sports Festival, consistently securing first place in subsequent competitions. Her strong junior career culminated in her first national team selection in April 2016 for the 2016-2017 season, where she placed third behind established skaters Choi Min-jeong and Shim Suk-hee.
3. Skating Career
Kim Ji-yoo's skating career is marked by a series of significant achievements, national team selections, and periods of both triumph and rehabilitation, demonstrating her consistent dedication to the sport.
3.1. National Team and Club Affiliations
Kim Ji-yoo has been selected for the South Korean national short track team for multiple seasons, including 2016-2017, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2021-2022. She initially joined the Kolping team in 2017. Following the disbandment of the Kolping team in December 2018, she joined the Seongnam City Hall skating team in 2019. In January 2021, she transferred to the Uijeongbu City Hall skating team. The 2020-2021 national team selection process was notably canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
3.2. Junior and Youth Olympics (2014-2016)
Kim Ji-yoo made a strong international debut in February 2015 at the 2015 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Osaka, Japan. She secured three gold medals in individual events (1000m, 1500m Superfinal) and the 3000m relay, finishing second overall in the women's division. In February 2016, she participated in the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, where she won the overall title. Her achievements at these games included a gold medal in the 1000 meter event and another gold in the mixed team relay. She also earned a bronze medal in the 500 meter event.
3.3. 2016-2017 Season
During the 2016-2017 season, Kim Ji-yoo achieved her first individual gold medal in a senior competition at the ISU World Cup Series. On November 12, 2016, she won the 1000 meter race at the second World Cup event held in Salt Lake City, United States, a race she regards as her most memorable. In the same competition, she also earned a silver medal in the 1500 meter event. An official from the Korea Skating Union praised Kim Ji-yoo, stating that she has been a top performer since her junior days, possessing strong determination and the ability to powerfully push forward like a "tank" on the ice.
In December 2016, at the third World Cup event in Shanghai, China, Kim Ji-yoo secured two silver medals in both the 1000 meter and 1500 meter races, outperforming competitors from Canada, China, and Europe. She further showcased her talent at her first senior World Championships in March 2017, held in Rotterdam, Netherlands. There, she finished fourth in the overall individual standings, earning a bronze medal in the 500 meter event. She also won a gold medal in the 3000 meter relay at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.
3.4. 2017-2018 Season: Injury and Rehabilitation
Kim Ji-yoo faced a challenging period in the 2017-2018 season after failing to be selected for the national team in April 2017, finishing seventh in the selection trials. She described this as one of the most difficult times in her career. Her aspiration to win a gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics was unfortunately not realized. Additionally, she sustained an injury that required three surgeries on her left ankle ligament, necessitating extensive rehabilitation. Despite concerns about her ability to return to competitive skating, Kim Ji-yoo recovered well and dedicated herself to intensive training. Her perseverance paid off when she competed at the 2018 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland, in March 2018, where she claimed the top spot in the women's overall standings. She secured gold medals in her main events, the 1000 meter and 1500 meter individual races, and a silver in the 1500 meter Superfinal.
3.5. 2018-2019 Season
In April 2018, Kim Ji-yoo successfully re-qualified for the national team for the 2018-2019 season, finishing second only to Shim Suk-hee in the national team selection trials. In an interview after her selection, Kim Ji-yoo discussed her skating strengths and weaknesses. She identified her ability to accelerate powerfully from the outside lane as her main strength, while acknowledging that her start was a weakness. She mentioned that while starting speed can be innate, some skaters improve through consistent effort, and she dedicated herself to off-ice dash training and agility exercises to address this.
On February 2, 2019, at the ISU World Cup event in Dresden, Germany, Kim Ji-yoo won a gold medal in the 1500 meter final, defeating strong competitors such as Kim Boutin and Suzanne Schulting (who had won six gold medals in the 1000 meter and 1500 meter events during the 2018-2019 World Cup season). She also earned three silver medals across the 1000 meter and 1500 meter events in the 2018-2019 ISU World Cup season, signaling a bright future for South Korean short track speed skating following the successes of Shim Suk-hee and Choi Min-jeong. At the 2019 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, she won a gold medal in the 3000 meter relay and finished 5th overall individually, with a 3rd place in the 3000 meter Superfinal.
3.6. 2019-2020 Season
In April 2019, Kim Ji-yoo qualified for the 2019-2020 national team, finishing fourth behind Kim A-rang, Noh Do-hee, and Seo Hwi-min. This selection allowed her to participate as a relay member in the ISU World Cup and World Championships. This season proved to be her most successful among the South Korean female short track athletes. Kim Ji-yoo competed in three 1000 meter ISU World Cup races, winning two gold medals. She also participated in four 1500 meter races, securing two gold medals and one silver medal. Notably, at the fifth and sixth ISU World Cup events in the 1000 meter race, she demonstrated exceptional prowess by defeating Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands, who was ranked number one in the ISU short track world rankings for both the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons.
3.7. 2020-2021 Season and Beyond
The 2020-2021 season saw significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the cancellation of the national team selection competition and various ISU World Cup events. Despite the challenges, Kim Ji-yoo was again selected for the national team for the 2021-2022 season, continuing her career as a top South Korean short track speed skater.
4. Competition Records
This section provides a detailed overview of Kim Ji-yoo's performance statistics, including her personal best times, international rankings, and comprehensive results from major competitions.
4.1. Personal Best Records
Kim Ji-yoo's fastest times in various short track disciplines are listed below:
| Personal Best Records | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Event | Best Record | Date | Competition |
| 500 meters | 42.898 | December 7, 2019 | 2019-2020 ISU World Cup 4 (Shanghai, China) |
| 1000 meters | 1:27.419 | February 3, 2019 | 2018-2019 ISU World Cup 5 (Dresden, Germany) |
| 1500 meters | 2:21.112 | November 10, 2018 | 2018-2019 ISU World Cup 2 (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| 3000 meters Superfinal | 5:12.464 | March 12, 2017 | 2017 World Championships (Rotterdam, Netherlands) |
4.2. ISU World Rankings
Kim Ji-yoo's seasonal rankings, as published by the ISU, are shown in the table below. Note that the 2020-2021 season's world rankings remained the same as the previous year due to the cancellation of ISU World Cup competitions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
| ISU Short Track World Rankings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Overall Ranking | 500 meters | 1000 meters | 1500 meters |
| 2020-2021 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| 2019-2020 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| 2018-2019 | 3 | 67 | 6 | 2 |
| 2017-2018 | - | - | - | - |
4.3. World Championships Results
The table below details Kim Ji-yoo's finishes and overall standings at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships for each year she participated.
| World Championships Results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Venue | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 3000 m Superfinal | Overall Ranking |
| March 8-10, 2019 | Sofia, Bulgaria | 20th | 4th | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 5th |
| March 10-12, 2017 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 3rd | 6th | 6th | PEN | 2nd | 4th |
4.4. International Competition Season-by-Season Results
The following tables detail Kim Ji-yoo's specific results and medal placements in major international events such as ISU World Cups, Asian Winter Games, and Winter Youth Olympics, organized by season.
| 2019-20 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 2000 m Mixed Relay |
| March 13-15, 2020 | World Championships (Seoul, South Korea) Tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
| February 14-16, 2020 | World Cup 6 (Dordrecht, Netherlands) | (2): 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| February 7-9, 2020 | World Cup 5 (Dresden, Germany) | 1st | (2): 7th | 4th | ||
| December 6-8, 2019 | World Cup 4 (Shanghai, China) | (1): 16th (2): 14th | ||||
| November 29-December 1, 2019 | World Cup 3 (Nagoya, Japan) | 3rd | (1): 1st | 4th | 1st | |
| November 8-10, 2019 | World Cup 2 (Montreal, Canada) | (2): 6th | 1st | 6th | ||
| November 1-3, 2019 | World Cup 1 (Salt Lake City, U.S.A.) | (1): 6th (2): 14th | ||||
| 2018-19 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 3000 m Superfinal |
| March 8-10, 2019 | World Championships (Sofia, Bulgaria) Overall Ranking 5th | 20th | 4th | 4th | 1st | 3rd |
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 2000 m Mixed Relay |
| February 8-10, 2019 | World Cup 6 (Turin, Italy) | 6th | 2nd | 4th | ||
| February 1-3, 2019 | World Cup 5 (Dresden, Germany) | (2): 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 4th | |
| December 7-9, 2018 | World Cup 3 (Almaty, Kazakhstan) | 6th | (2): 6th | 2nd | 2nd | |
| November 9-11, 2018 | World Cup 2 (Salt Lake City, United States) | (2): 13th | 2nd | 1st | ||
| November 2-4, 2018 | World Cup 1 (Calgary, Canada) | (1): 23rd | 11th | 2nd | 3rd | |
| 2017-18 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 1500 m Superfinal |
| March 2-4, 2018 | World Junior Championships (Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland) Overall Ranking 1st | 5th | 1st | 1st | 8th | 2nd |
| Date | Competition | 1000 m | 1500 m | 444 m | 777 m | |
| November 24-26, 2017 | Shanghai Trophy | 3rd | 10th | L2: 9th | L2: 8th | |
| 2016-17 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 3000 m Superfinal |
| March 10-12, 2017 | World Championships (Rotterdam, Netherlands) Overall Ranking 4th | 3rd | 6th | 6th | PEN | 5th |
| February 20-22, 2017 | Asian Winter Games (Sapporo, Japan) | 1st | ||||
| December 16-18, 2016 | World Cup 4 (Gangneung, South Korea) | (2): 9th | 9th | 1st | ||
| December 9-11, 2016 | World Cup 3 (Shanghai, China) | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | ||
| November 11-13, 2016 | World Cup 2 (Salt Lake City, U.S.A.) | 1st | (2): 2nd | 1st | ||
| November 4-6, 2016 | World Cup 1 (Calgary, Canada) | 19th | 1st | |||
| 2015-16 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay (Mixed NOC Team) | |
| February 14-20, 2016 | Winter Youth Olympics (Lillehammer, Norway) Overall Ranking 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | ||
| 2014-15 Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Competition | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 3000 m Relay | 1500 m Superfinal |
| February 27-March 1, 2015 | World Junior Championships (Osaka, Japan) Overall Ranking 2nd | 9th | 1st | 16th | 1st | 1st |
5. External links
- [https://isu.html.infostradasports.com/cache/TheASP.asp@PageID%3D302037&SportID%3D302&Personid%3D1363449&TaalCode%3D2&StyleID%3D0&Cache%3D2.html?764949 Profile] from Infostradasports.com
- [http://www.shorttrackonline.info/skaterbio.php?id=STKOR21407199901 Profile] from ShorttrackOnLine.info