Kim Yoon-ji, affectionately known as 'Smiley', has made a remarkable achievement by becoming the first Korean female athlete to win multiple medals at a winter Paralympics. Competing in the cross-country skiing Women’s Sprint Sitting Final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Paralympics, she earned a silver medal with a time of 3:10.1, just seconds behind the legendary Oksana Masters, who won gold. The competition was intense, and despite leading until the final uphill stretch, Kim expressed gratitude for competing against such a formidable athlete and beamed with pride as she crossed the finish line.

Born with spina bifida, Kim has excelled in both summer swimming and winter Nordic skiing, becoming a leading figure in disabled sports in Korea. She has previously won accolades such as the Rookie of the Year in both the summer and winter national championships and was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2023 Winter and 2024 Summer events. Her recent silver medal is the third for the Korean delegation in this tournament, showcasing the capabilities of Korean athletes on the international stage.

Kim attributed her success to rigorous off-season training that involved strength training, which enhanced her performance in the challenging cross-country environment. She emphasized her strategic training that capitalized on her strengths in both uphill and downhill skiing. Earlier, she clinched a gold medal in the women’s biathlon individual event, marking her as a standout competitor at these games, following in the footsteps of previous multi-medal winners from past Paralympic events.