Speed skater Kim Jun-ho captures 1st World Cup title of season

Kim Jun-ho of Korea prepares for his start in the men's 500-meter race at the International Skating Union Speed Skating World Cup at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday. Reuters-Yonhap

Speed skater Kim Jun-ho has claimed his first World Cup title of the season in Canada.

Kim won the men's 500-meter title with a time of 33.99 seconds at the second International Skating Union Speed Skating World Cup of the season at the Olympic Oval in Calgary on Saturday (local time).

Jenning De Boo of the Netherlands finished in second place in 34.021 seconds, followed by Jordan Stolz of the United States at 34.028 seconds.

Kim set a new Korean record with a time of 33.78 seconds last weekend at the season-opening World Cup race in Salt Lake City, Utah, though the time was only good for the bronze medal then.

In Calgary, Kim clocked the second-fastest split in the opening 100m at 9.39 seconds and covered the rest of the race in 24.6 seconds for his first World Cup gold this season.

The two World Cup medals this month bode well for Kim's chances at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy, where the 30-year-old will pursue his first career Olympic medal.