BEIJING -- Choi Min-jeong successfully defended her gold medal in the women’s 1,500m short track speed skating race in Beijing on Wednesday, earning her third medal in the Chinese capital in her final race here.

Choi defeated Arianna Fontana of Italy for gold at Capital Indoor Stadium. Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands earned the bronze.

This was South Korea’s second gold medal from short track at Beijing 2022 and its second gold medal overall, too.

Choi had earlier won silver medals in the 1,000m and the 3,000m relay in Beijing.

With five career medals, Choi has tied three others for most Winter Olympic medals by a South Korean athlete. Former short trackers Chun Lee-kyung and Park Seung-hi, and active speed skater Lee Seung-hoon have all won five medals each.

The short track competition concluded with South Korea having captured two gold and three silver medals. Its five total medals led all countries, one ahead of China, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada. (Yonhap)