Kim Yujin, a 20-year-old skier from BDH Paras, claimed gold in the women’s cross-country skiing 20km interval start classic race at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. Her victory marks her first medal in this distance and boosts South Korea’s medal count to a record high.
Race Highlights
On March 15 in Tesero, Italy, Kim Yujin crossed the finish line in 58 minutes, 23.3 seconds, setting a strong pace throughout. Anya Wicker of Canada earned silver in 59:17.4, while Oksana Masters of the United States took bronze in 59:34.5.
This 20km event represented Kim’s debut at the distance. She maintained a steady lead by pacing herself effectively and conserving energy. Between the 6.0 and 7.6km marks, she built a two-second gap, holding her position without pushing too hard early on.
Athlete’s Insights
Kim reflected on the race: “This was my first 20km, so my body didn’t push extra hard—it felt like regular training.” She added, “I had no idea I was in first until the end because the race felt so tough.”
Looking back on preparation, she noted, “Long-distance training of 50-60km during Pyeongchang proved a huge help.” Kim also shared lessons learned: “In the 10km cross-country here, poor pace control led to being overtaken, but I gained valuable experience overall.”
South Korea’s Record-Breaking Performance
Kim’s gold brings South Korea’s tally to two golds, four silvers, and one bronze—the best result ever in a single Winter Paralympics. Combining biathlon and cross-country successes, Kim emerged as the top star in her Paralympic debut.
In para alpine skiing, Baek Hye-jin (43) and Lee Young-seok (42) secured silver, the first such medal for South Korea in 16 years. Lee Je-hyuk (29) claimed the nation’s first para snowboard medal with bronze.
Historical Context
South Korea entered para alpine events for the first time in 1992 and won its initial medal—a silver—in 2002. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, para alpine yielded one gold and two bronzes. After missing medals in Beijing 2022 amid intensive preparations, the team rebounded strongly this year.
