By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
South Korean Lee Kang-seok captured the men's 500-meter title at the International Skating Union (ISU) speed-skating championships in Richmond, Canada, Sunday.
The 2007 Salt Lake City championships winner clocked 69.73 seconds in total, racing in 34.80 and 34.93 seconds, respectively.
Lee's compatriot Lee Kyou-hyuk claimed a silver medal for the second year in a row with a time of 69.92. Chinese Yu Fengtong grabbed bronze 0.05 of a second behind.
On the women's side, Lee Sang-hwa clinched bronze in the 500-meter race with a total of 76.39. Lee's podium finish was her first since she grabbed bronze in the 2005 event.
World record holder Jenny Wolf of Germany took a gold medal in 75.75 seconds and was followed by Chinese Beixing Wang, who skated in 75.87.
``These medals are good signs for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics," Korea Skating Union (KSU) official Kim Tae-wan told The Korea Times. ``The Olympic Games will be held in the same place with the same regulations about one year later,'' Kim explained.
``Lee Kang-seok and Lee Kyou-hyuk are getting better," the KSU Vice President Choi Jae-seok said from Richmond. ``I hope our skaters can give Korean people good news in the Olympics.''
Korean skaters and KSU officials will come back to Seoul, Tuesday.
At Heerenveen, Netherlands, South Korea's men's team won the short track title in the ISU team championships on the same day. The team tasted its first title since the 2006 championships.
Korea earned a total of 36 points to edge out Canada by two points. The points are based on the results from the 500-meter, 1,000-meter, 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter relays.
Korea came into the 5,000-meter relay ranked third, but took over the top spot after finishing first in 6 minutes and 50.014 seconds. Canada was pushed down to second, 0.202 seconds behind.
The Korean squad consists of Kwok Yoon-gy, Lee Ho-suk, Lee Jung-su, Park Jin-hwan and Sung Si-bak.
``The guys had amazing races,'' Canadian skater Charles Hamelin told The Canadian Press after the race.
On the women's side, South Koreans Jung Ba-ra, Kim Min-jung, Shin Sae-bom and Yang Shin-young came in second with 29 points. China won gold, earning 46, while Canada took the bronze with 22.