By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
South Korea swept four gold medals in short track speed skating at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup in Kobe, Japan, Saturday, continuing to flex its muscles over a sport it has dominated for most of the past two decades.
Ahn Hyun-soo padded his reputation as the world's top skater in the men's 1,500 meters, beating compatriots Lee Ho-suk and Song Kyung-taek for the gold with a time of 2:23.225.
South Korea also swept the medals in the women's 1,500, with three-time Olympic gold medallist Jin Sun-yu (2:26.356) beating Jung Eun-ju (2:26.364) and Yang Shin-young (2:26.428) for the gold in a tight race that was decided by less than a length of a skate blade.
In the women's 1,000, 15-year-old Park Seung-hi, the youngest athlete representing South Korea, upset China's Wang Meng (1:34.025) for the gold with a time of 1:33.723. Cho Ha-ri finished behind Wang for the bronze at 1:34.247.
In the men's 1,000, Sung Si-bak finished ahead of compatriot Kwak Yoon-gy (1:34.441) for the gold in a time of 1:31.396.