"Is Kim Gil-li Everyone’s Punching Bag?"... Crashes During the Race, Crashes After the Finish, What on Earth Is Going On? [2026 Milan]

[Financial News] What on earth do people have against Kim Gil-li (22, Seongnam City Hall team)? It almost feels like she needs an exorcism to break this spell. She is skating smoothly, minding her own race,
and yet rivals keep crashing into her. Now they are even knocking her down after she has crossed the finish line and is trying to catch her breath. The ice in Milan is not just harsh on Kim Gil-li; it has become downright absurd.
On the 15th (Korean time) in Milan, Italy, during the women’s 1000m short track heats, Kim Gil-li went down again. This time it did not even happen during the race. It came right after she comfortably crossed the line in first place.

Here is what happened. In heat 6, Kim Gil-li executed a clean inside pass to overtake the Netherlands’ Michelle Velzeboer and crossed the line first. Just as she relaxed, thinking, "It’s finally over," Velzeboer, coming in behind her, lost her balance, wobbled, and crashed straight into Kim. Kim, who had been standing upright without any issue, suddenly landed hard on her backside without even knowing what hit her. Fortunately, she avoided serious injury and got up on her own, but for the fans watching, it was a heart-stopping moment. It was the kind of scene that made people mutter, "Does Kim Gil-li have a magnet on her back or something?"
There is a reason fans are this angry and sensitive. The trauma of "that incident" from just five days ago, which sent the entire nation’s blood pressure soaring, is still fresh.

On the 10th, in the mixed relay semifinal, Corinne Stoddard of the United States fell on her own and, of all people, took out Kim Gil-li, who was skating smoothly on the outside. It looked like a self-sacrificial tackle. Because of that collision, Korea failed to reach the final, and Kim injured her right arm. Stoddard fell three times in that one day alone, earning the derisive nickname "human bowling ball." For Kim, it was like being struck by lightning from a clear sky.
What is almost darkly comical is what Stoddard, the one who left Kim with an unforgettable scar, has been doing since. Stoddard, now dubbed "Kim Gil-li’s nightmare," did not disappoint in the 1000m heats either. She fell again. It was already her fourth wipeout of this Games.

On this day, Stoddard not only fell by herself again, she dragged a Polish skater into the crash as well, and ended up crawling desperately across the ice to reach the finish line. Her determination to somehow cling to second place, even on her hands and knees, was admirable in its own way, but she was ultimately eliminated. Among Korean fans, heated reactions are pouring out, such as, "At this point, it’s not about lack of skill, it’s outright harmful," and "You’re free to fall on your own, but don’t ruin someone else’s career." Stoddard’s social media accounts were bombarded by Korean criticism to the point that the comment sections were shut down.
As a result, Kim Gil-li has been suffering from other people’s mistakes throughout this Games. She gets slammed into during races and shoved around after they are over. Even ten bodies would not seem enough at this rate. Yet she keeps brushing herself off and skating again. Even with a sore arm and bruised tailbone, she quietly prepares for the next race.
The question now is whether Kim Gil-li can overcome this relentless wave of unfair, targeted misfortune and still climb to the very top of the podium.
One thing is certain.
Fans are saying, "Please, other skaters, keep your blades under control when you’re anywhere near Kim Gil-li. It’s nerve-racking just to watch." That is their honest feeling.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter