'I carried a dream and chased it': Veteran speed skater Kim Bo-reum announces retirement

Veteran speed skater Kim Bo-reum announced her retirement on Tuesday after a storied career filled with accolades and medals. "I began skating at age 11 and spent most of my life on the ice, representing Korea," she said.

Speed skater Kim Bo-reum poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in southern Seoul on April 26, 2023. [KIM JONG-HO]

Veteran speed skater Kim Bo-reum announced her retirement on Tuesday after a storied career filled with accolades and medals.

"I began skating at age 11 and spent most of my life on the ice, representing Korea with the national team from 2010 to 2024," she said in her Instagram post. “I have decided to end my career this year. From the day I first stepped on the ice as a child, skating was everything to me. I carried a dream and chased it without pause. On that path, I took on valuable challenges and precious moments at the Olympics, Asian Games and world championships.”

Kim competed at three Winter Olympics: Sochi in 2014, PyeongChang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022.

She won silver in the women’s mass start at the PyeongChang Olympics. She also claimed gold in the mass start at the 2017 World Single Distance Championships in Gangneung, Gangwon and another gold in the women’s 5,000 meters at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.

Her career also saw some challenges. After Korea failed to reach the semifinals in the women’s team pursuit at the PyeongChang Olympics, Kim faced heavy public criticism over a perceived lack of teamwork.

Teammate Noh Seon-yeong claimed Kim received special treatment and excluded Noh during training and competition. Kim later apologized on the ice after winning her silver medal at the PyeongChang Olympics, but the backlash continued.

A post-Olympic audit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism found no evidence of deliberate exclusion in the team pursuit, leading to a shift in public opinion.

Speed skater Kim Bo-reum skates during the final of the women's mass start at the Beijing Olympics on Feb. 19, 2022. [YONHAP]

In November 2020, Kim filed a 200 million won ($138,000) lawsuit against Noh, saying she had endured years of training interference and verbal abuse from Noh from 2010 to 2018. In May 2023, the court partially ruled in Kim's favor.

After receiving psychiatric treatment for panic disorder following the PyeongChang Olympics, Kim returned to action and placed fifth in the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She continued skating for the Korean national team through the 2023–24 season.

“The journey was never easy,” she said. “I had moments of joy, but also times that are hard to put into words. Some days the process weighed heavier than the result, and there were moments I had to get back up. Still, I was able to stay on the ice until the end because I never let go of skating.

“Though my time as an athlete ends here, my love for skating remains. If I am remembered as someone who never gave up despite the hardships and setbacks, that’s more than enough.”

Kim recently began appearing on TV shows.

“Now I plan to do things a little more slowly," she said. "With the mindset and discipline I learned through sport, I will continue forward without hesitation. I am deeply grateful to everyone who quietly supported and loved me along the way.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY PARK LIN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]