The icy air of Milan was thick with anticipation on February 21, 2026, as the world’s top speed skaters gathered at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium for the women’s 1500m final at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Among the 29 competitors, South Korea’s Park Ji-woo and Olympic debutant Lim Ri-won took to the ice, both determined to make their mark on the grandest stage of all.
For Park Ji-woo, a seasoned Olympian representing Gangwon Province, hopes were high. She had set a new Korean record in November 2025 with a blistering 1 minute 54.05 seconds. But the Olympic race proved unforgiving. Park finished 21st with a time of 1 minute 58.26 seconds, well off her national best. Lim Ri-won, just 18 years old and a prospective Korea National Sport University student, clocked 1 minute 59.73 seconds, placing 28th in her very first Olympic event. Yet, for both athletes, the journey was about more than medals—it was about resilience, learning, and the pursuit of personal bests.
The race itself was a showcase of international talent and tenacity. Dutch veteran Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong, in her fourth Olympic appearance, finally clinched her first gold medal in the event, stopping the clock at 1 minute 54.09 seconds. She edged out Norway’s Ragne Wiklund by just 0.06 seconds, with Wiklund taking silver in 1 minute 54.15 seconds. Canada’s Valerie Maltais rounded out the podium, earning bronze with a 1 minute 54.40 second finish. Rijpma-de Jong’s victory was especially sweet—after settling for bronze in the same event at the 2022 Beijing Games, she now stood atop the Olympic podium. According to Yonhap News, "Rijpma-de Jong won by a margin of 0.06 seconds over Norway's Ragne Wiklund who took silver with 1 minute 54.15 seconds."
Park Ji-woo’s race was a study in grit. Drawn in the fifth heat against Austria’s Janin Rosner, Park started strong from the outer lane, passing the first 300 meters in just 26.25 seconds. She maintained a competitive pace through the early stages, but as the laps wore on, Rosner pulled ahead. Park ultimately crossed the finish line 1.02 seconds behind her heat rival. "After setting a national record just months ago, Park Ji-woo was unable to match her best time, finishing 21st with a time of 1 minute 58.26 seconds," reported News1.
Lim Ri-won’s Olympic debut was filled with both nerves and excitement. Originally, Lim was only slated to compete in the mass start, but a last-minute withdrawal opened a spot in the 1500m just three days before the race. Having spent three weeks in Milan focused solely on mass start training, Lim jumped at the chance to gain valuable Olympic experience. She started in the third heat, taking the outer lane and passing the 300m mark in 26.49 seconds—an impressive split for a first-timer. Her early pace was faster than Norway’s Aurora Grønden Røsbø, but as the race progressed, Røsbø surged ahead, leaving Lim to finish 28th overall. Despite the result, Lim’s enthusiasm was palpable. "Fans asked me to make a hand heart, so I smiled and did it at the start line," she shared with Yonhap News. The moment captured the joy and spirit of a young athlete embracing her Olympic moment.
Lim’s introduction to the Olympic stage wasn’t without its hiccups. At the start, she was flagged for a false start—an unusual occurrence that rattled her composure. "I was in my usual position, but suddenly there was a false start signal. I thought, 'It wasn’t me,' but I had to reset and start again," Lim recounted. She quickly adapted, focusing on a smoother launch for her second attempt. For Lim, the 1500m was a bonus opportunity, as her main goal remained clear: "The first goal is to reach the mass start final without injury. If I make the final, I’ll just keep pushing and never give up," she said with determination.
The broader context for Korean speed skating at these Games has been one of challenge and rebuilding. The national team has yet to secure a medal in Milan, with Kim Min-seon and Lee Na-hyun missing the podium in the women’s 500m, and Kim Jun-ho finishing 12th in the men’s 500m. The women’s 1500m was another tough outing, but the focus now shifts to the mass start events, where both Park Ji-woo and Lim Ri-won are expected to compete later in the evening on February 21. Park, in particular, is known for her prowess in the mass start, and Korean fans will be watching closely to see if she can bounce back and challenge for a medal.
The atmosphere in Milan has been electric, with the world’s best skaters delivering fast times and thrilling duels. Notably, Japan’s Miho Takagi, the world record holder in the 1500m (1 minute 49.83 seconds), finished sixth with a time of 1 minute 54.86 seconds, narrowly missing out on the medals. The tight margins and fierce competition underscored just how high the standard is at the Olympic level.
For Lim Ri-won, the Olympic experience has been a whirlwind. She admitted to feeling a bit overwhelmed by the occasion, but also grateful for the support of her teammates and family. Her mother traveled to Milan to cheer her on, though the two had not yet met during the competition. "My mother’s accommodation is far from the athletes’ village, so I haven’t seen her yet. I hope I can find her in the stands tomorrow," Lim said with a smile, as reported by Yonhap News.
As the day’s racing concluded, there was a sense of anticipation for the evening’s mass start events, where both Park and Lim would get another shot at Olympic glory. Their performances in the 1500m, while not medal-winning, offered valuable lessons and a reminder of the relentless pace and pressure of Olympic competition. For Park Ji-woo, the challenge is to rediscover her record-setting form; for Lim Ri-won, it’s about gaining experience and savoring every moment of her Olympic journey.
With the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Games in full swing and the mass start events still to come, Korean speed skating fans remain hopeful. The story isn’t over yet—there’s still ice to conquer and dreams to chase in Milan.