Ning breaks West’s grip on 1,500m, says Games gold just the start for China speedskating
Speed skater Ning Zhongyan wins men’s 1,500m race in record time, while skier Eileen Gu qualifies for third final at Winter Olympics
Speed skater Ning Zhongyan broke the West’s 100-year Winter Olympics stranglehold on the men’s 1,500m event on Thursday and hoped his “unbelievable” performance was just the beginning of a Chinese surge in the sport.
Ning dashed to gold in a Games record time of one minute, 41.98 seconds at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. American Jordan Stolz took silver, with defending champion Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands claiming bronze.
It was the first time an athlete not representing the United States or a European nation had won the race since it’s Olympics debut in Chamonix in 1924.
Ning said he would not be able to sleep after his “perfect” race earned him his third medal of the Olympics, to go with his two bronze from the men’s 1,000m and men’s team pursuit. It was also China’s third gold in Italy.
The triumph was also a remarkable turnaround after the 26-year-old finished fifth in Beijing four years ago.
“I am standing on the top of the mountain, finally,” he told state media. “I didn’t know how I managed to get through the last four years.