Kim Bo-reum is a South Korean speed skater. She is the current South Korean record holder in the women's long track speed skating 3000 and 5000 metres. She is a two-time Olympian and specialises in the women's mass start.
Speed skating career
Kim started short track speed skating as a child. In 2007, at the age of 14, she was selected for the South Korean national junior team and won the gold medal in the women's 2000 metre relay at the Asian Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships. At the end of April 2010, however, Kim turned to long track speed skating after being inspired by compatriot Lee Seung-hoon, who had similarly switched formats and medalled at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She won her first major medal at the 2011 Asian Winter Games, with a silver in the women's 3000 metres and placed fourth in the women's 5000 metres. At the 2013 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships, Kim won bronze in the women's team pursuit with Noh Seon-yeong and Park Do-yeong. She also placed 11th in the women's 1500 metres and 9th in the women's 3000 metres. Later that year, she participated at the 2013 Winter Universiade, winning gold in the women's 1500 metres and women's team pursuit, as well as silver in the women's 3000 metres and women's 5000 metres. A few months later, she finished 21st in the women's 1500 metres and 13th in the women's 3000 metres at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The South Korean women's team pursuit team of Kim, Noh Seon-yeong and Yang Shin-young also finished last of eight at the Games. She tore her anterior cruciate ligament during the women's 5000 metres, restricting her appearances for the rest of the season. After a disappointing performance at the 2015 World Championships, Kim came back with a new national record of 7:05.55 for the women's 5000 metres during the 2015–16 ISU Speed Skating World Cup. At the 2016 World Championships, Kim won silver in the women's mass start and placed 7th in the women's 3000 metres. She bettered that result at the 2017 World Championships by winning gold in the women's mass start and placing 6th in the women's 3000 metres with a new national record time of 4:03.85. She was also part of the South Korean women's team pursuit team with Noh Seon-yeong and Park Ji-woo, which finished 5th. At the 2017 Asian Winter Games, Kim won gold in the women's 5000 metres, silver in the women's 3000 metres and the women's team pursuit, and a bronze in the women's mass start. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kim placed 18th in the women's 3000 metres. After failing to make the semi-finals in the women's team pursuit, Kim gave a television interview where she attributed Noh Seon-yeong for the loss, saying "We were skating well, but the last skater couldn't keep up and we had a disappointing score." Her teammate Park Ji-woo added "It wasn't that we didn't think this would happen with Seon-young... " Both skaters faced an immediate backlash, with viewers supporting online petitions demanding their removal from the team; especially after footage was shown of Noh crying while her teammates ignored her, leading to her being comforted by coach Bob de Jong. Reports also stated that Noh had not been invited to participate in of the team's pre-Olympics training sessions, and that Kim and Park had left Noh behind during the race. Sportswear clothing brand NEPA, which had previously sponsored Kim, announced they would not be extending their contract with her following backlash on their website and social media. Kim later made a public apology for the incident.
