Who Is Kim Boutin? Wiki, Skater, Net Worth, Silver Medal & Facts To Know

Kim Boutin is a French athlete who is into short track speed skating. She was born in 1994. She won a silver medal in 1000 m event and bronzes medal in the 500 m and 1500 m events at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. Boutin was the first Canadian female short track speed skater to win three individual Olympic medals in a single Olympics and also the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in the 1,500 m. As a result of her three medal performance at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, she was named the flag bearer for Canada at the closing ceremonies. Boutin has won junior world championship and World Cup medals before she participated at the 2018 Olympics. Boutin loves to do painting and knitting in her spare time. The athlete can speak English and French languages. She trained under coach Frederic Blackburn who is national level coach. She suffered a back injury in 2016 that kept her out of action for six months. She was unable to skate for several months during the 2014/15 season because of a back injury. Boutin began skating at age six in Sherbrooke, QC, Canada as her brother was already involved in skating and Boutin wanted to follow him. "I love the sport because you can always improve and do better." She regards qualifying to compete in three events at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang as her most memorable achievement. She achieved this at the Canadian Olympic trials in Montreal, QC, Canada. Kim Boutin considers Canadian Marianne St-Gelais who is also into short track speed skating, as her hero. She believes in the philosophy, "Leave room for the artist in you." Boutin received the 2015 Short Track Rising Star Award from Speed Skating Canada. She became the first Canadian woman to win multiple individual short track medals at a single edition of the Olympic Winter Games, by picking up bronze medal in both the 500m and 1500m at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.

Boutin took part in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games as part of Canada's team. She came in 4th in the Women's 500 m, but luckily owing to the judge's disqualification of South Korean Choi Min-jeong who finished 2nd in a photo finish, Boutin was awarded the bronze medal. Reports initially suggested the disqualification was due to contact with race winner Arianna Fontana, but were later stated to be due to an earlier contact with Boutin. The following day, it was announced that Boutin had been receiving negative comments from South Koreans, including reports of death threats. The Canadian Olympic Committee took the threats very seriously and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the incidents. It was an emotional and painful experience for the skater and, upon receiving her medal, she was photographed in tears. She said later of it all that "it was pretty tough. I'm a sensitive person." Boutin started in the 1,500 m heats with the death threats still hovering over her. She said that "of course, it scared me, and just after my warm-up, I cried. I cried a lot, because I was scared. But I have a pretty awesome team behind me." She later, put that fear behind her in the final of the 1,500 m when she skated out in front and led the pack until the second last lap when she was passed by Choi, but hung on for the bronze medal. This was her second individual medal of the games and her win made her the first female Canadian short track speed skater to win two individual medals in a single Olympics. Boutin later won the silver medal in the 1,00 0m race a few days later, earning a medal in all three individual distances. The Canadian team made the relay finals but after being tripped up by the Korean team and the chaos that followed the Canadian women finished off the Olympic relay podium for the first time ever. As a result of her three individual short track medals, the first time ever by a Canadian female short track speed skater, Boutin was named the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies. The skater had got so many death threats that she closed off her Instagram. Choi's fans believed that she was wronged and their anguish was lent out on poor Kim Boutin. The death threats and negative comments were very unfair for the athlete. Every athlete is nervous, hopeful, stressed at the time of an event and such feedback only disturbs the person. In any scenario, the judge's decision should be considered final.

The net worth of Kim Boutin is currently under review.

Kim Boutin can be followed on her official Instagram page @kimboutin. She uploads a lot of her personal photos and photos from her competitions on her Instagram page.