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S. Korean Olympic champion grabs 2 gold at short track worlds

By Yonhap

Published : March 18, 2018 - 09:32

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Olympic double gold medalist Choi Min-jeong has captured two titles at the short track world championships.

Choi won the women's 500-meter and 1,500-meter gold medals at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal on Saturday (local time).

Choi edged out her teammate Shim Suk-hee for the 1,500m title in 2:23.351. Another South Korean, Kim A-lang, finished fourth, as the country just missed out on a podium sweep.

Choi won the 1,500m gold medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics last month, in addition to a 3,000m relay gold.

Then hours later, Choi picked up her second world title of the day in the 500m over Natalia Maliszewska of Poland. Choi was the only South Korean in the final and finished the race in 42.845 seconds.

Choi Min-jeong (Yonhap) Choi Min-jeong (Yonhap)

Choi won the world overall championships in 2015 and 2016. She was out of contention last year but is well on her way to her third overall title this year after these two victories.

The overall winners will be determined based on points accumulated in three individual races -- 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m -- plus the 3,000m superfinal. Only those who earn points in the finals of the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m will be eligible for the 3,000m superfinal.

Skaters receive 34 points for first place in each individual race, 21 for second place, 13 for third, eight for fourth and so forth.

On the men's side, Hwang Dae-heon won the 500m gold medal.

Hwang, who won silver at PyeongChang 2018 in the distance last month, finished in 40.742 seconds to beat Ren Ziwei of China by 0.063 second.

In the 1,500m, reigning Olympic champion Lim Hyo-jun took silver behind Charles Hamelin of Canada.

The finals for the men's and women's 1,000m and relays will take place Sunday (local time), along with the 3,000m superfinal. (Yonhap)