By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Lee Kyou-hyuk raised expectations that South Korea could win its first gold medal in long track speed skating at the Winter Olympics, winning gold medals in both 500-meter races at the World Cup event on the weekend.
Lee timed in at 34.26 seconds to win his second gold medal of the long-track speed skating World Cup event in Kearns, Utah, Sunday (KST), the last World Cup competition before the Vancouver Olympics.
Compatriot Lee Kang-seok was second, 0.02 seconds behind and American Tucker Fredricks came in third in 34.35.
It was Lee's third straight win in the 500 meters. He also won the first race of the weekend on Saturday and won the second race of last weekend's competition in Calgary, Canada.
In five World Cup events, Lee has three golds, a silver and a bronze. Lee is one of Korea's brightest hopes for the nation's first Winter Olympic gold medal in a sport other than short track speed skating.
Korea has won 17 gold medals in the Winter Olympics since 1948, all of which have come in short track.
Kim Yoon-man was the first Korean to win a medal in long track, taking the silver medal in the men's 500 meters at the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France. Lee Kang-seok won bronze in the same event in Turin, Italy in 2006.
Meanwhile, Lee Seung-hoon continued his ascendancy in the men's 5,000 meters, setting a new record for the third time.
Lee, who converted from short track in July, finished seventh in 6 minutes, 14.67 seconds, 2.08 seconds faster than his old mark, set last week.
The 21-year-old has steadily shaved seconds off his time during this World Cup season and has established himself as the nation's top long distance prospect.
On the women's side, Lee Sang-hwa clinched her second bronze medal of the event in the 500-meter race.
Lee crossed the line in 37.24 seconds, behind China's Wang Beixing and Jenny Wolf of Germany, who clocked in at 37.02 and 37.17, respectively.