Lee Sang-hwa breaks world record in women’s 500
South Korea’s Lee Sang-hwa broke the world record in the women’s 500 metres on Friday in a World Cup speedskating meet at the Utah Olympic Oval, finishing in 36.57 seconds.
China’s Wang Beixing was second in 36.85, Heather Richardson finished third in a US-record 36.97.
More fast times followed on the track known as the “fastest ice on earth.” American Shani Davis, the world-record holder in the men’s 1,500, won the event in 1:41.98.
“It’s a big challenge not to get too excited,” said Davis, the two-time gold medalist who skated his fastest 1,500 since setting the world record in 2009. “We’re looking good heading into Sochi.”
Fellow American Brian Hansen was second in 1:42.16, followed by the Netherlands’ Koen Verweij in 1:42.28.
Canada’s Gilmore Junio and Japan’s Joji Kato tied in the 500 at 34.258. Dutchman Michel Mulder was a hundredth of a second behind at 34.26.
The Czech Republic’s Martina Sablikova won the women’s 3,000 in 3:57.79. Germany’s Claudia Pechstein was second in 3:57.80, and the Netherlands’ Antoinette de Jong followed in 3:59.49.
The three-day meet will end on Sunday at the Utah Olympic Oval, also the site of the US Olympic Trials on December 27-January 1.
