Montreal / Canada

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WSTSSC M3000 Liu GettyImages 932943782

Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN)

Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN) enjoyed a surprise finish to the 2018 World Short Track Championships, clinching top spot in the Men’s 3000m Super Final, propelling him to second place in the overall standings and a silver medal.

“I wasn’t expecting this medal,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s such a big thing for me. “I only qualified for the A Final in the 1500; I didn’t get an individual medal. I’m not a long-distance skater and it was such a surprising thing. After the race I saw I was third overall, and then I looked up again and I saw I was in second place. I was so shocked.”

Liu edged out Xu Hongzhi (CHN) by 0.030 seconds, the pair finishing no less than eight seconds ahead of the rest of the pack, which included Semen Elistratov (RUS), Charles Hamelin (CAN) and Ren Ziwei CHN).

Hamelin’s fourth-place finish in the 3000m Super Final was enough to give him top spot in the overall standings.

“I was missing two medals: Olympic champion in the 1000m and first in overall standings at a World Championship,” the home-crowd favorite said. “To win it here in Montreal in front of my family and friends, I’m at a loss for words.”

WSTSSC M3000 podium GettyImages 933757192

Men 3000m Podium