Vancouver / Canada

China has won all ladies’ short track events at this Olympics. Meng Wang (CHN) won the last Olympic ladies Short Track event taking the ladies’ 1000m gold. It is her third 2010 Olympic gold medal and her 6th medal in total. She also won the 500m and the Relay. Never has China won so many gold medals in one Olympics. Katherine Reutter (USA) finished in second place and Seung-Hi Park (KOR) was third.

In the heats, Katherine Reutter, the number two in the world, had set an Olympic record with 1:30.508. In the quarterfinals, Yang Zhou bettered that (she also set one on the 1500m earlier these Olympics). Her time 1:29.849 didn’t stand long; in the semifinals, she set a new world record, 1:29.049, while Meng Wang took it more easy in her races. Seung-Hi Park skated 1:29.165 in the semifinals, also below Wang’s former world record.

These four skaters made an excellent final. Wang had a good start and took the lead, Park quickly moved to the front but fell back to second position and Reutter and Zhou followed. In the fourth lap, Zhou attempted to pass but slipped and in doing so blocked Park and Reutter a bit. It also slowed Zhou down, and as if she knew that she was going to be disqualified, she calmly finished the race in fourth position. With 3 laps remaining, Reutter moved up to second position. Meng Wang had a good lead now and kept it, Reutter succeeded in finishing ahead of Park, who already got a bronze medal from the 1500m.

With her 6th medal, Wang is now the most decorated lady in short track speed skating, she has one medal more than Yang Yang (A).

Park: “Since this morning I wasn’t in the best condition physically. We haven’t had much luck since the 1500m. My coach said that I did a very good job and that at least I beat one Chinese athlete.”

Reutter: “I feel like everything I’ve ever done has paid off. This is m moment I’ve been dreaming of. I have put so much of myself into this sport, more than I ever thought I could.

Wang, who skated in spite of a severe cold and was coughing a lot afterwards: “I have now achieved all my Olympic dreams. History has been made tonight by the Chinese ladies. I’m so very proud. Now I want to rest. I’m so tired. I almost didn’t think I would finish. My whole chest hurts. I really didn’t think I would finish. Since I’ve been sick, my coach was very encouraging.”