Sofia, Bulgaria

#WorldShortTrack        #OneHandDown 

The Ladies’ 1500m was won by Olympic champion Choi Min Jeong (KOR), who skated with calm authority through qualifying and the final. Canada’s Kim Boutin put up an excellent fight but eventually had to settle for silver, her best performance yet at a World Championships, while Sofia Prosvirnova (RUS) was third.

Choi Min Jeong (KOR) WSTSSC 2019©ISU 1134669021

Choi Min Jeong (KOR) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The Netherlands won their first ever Ladies’ gold medal at a World Short Track Speed Skating Championships as Lara van Ruijven triumphed in a fast and furious 500m final in Sofia on Saturday. Lara van Ruijven won the Netherlands’ first ever Ladies’ World gold medal, while Korean men Lim Hyo Jun and Hwang Dae Heon topped the podium in a dramatic day at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Sofia.

Lara van Ruijven (NED) WSTSSC 2019©ISU 1134738802

Lara van Ruijven (NED) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Van Ruijven led throughout the race but looked to have lost out when Martina Valcepina (ITA) powered around the corner and beat her to the line by a fraction - sending the Dutch skater to the floor in the process. But after a lengthy consultation, the judges decreed that Valcepina – winner of the last two 500m World Cup golds – had committed a foul. Kexin Fan (CHN) was moved up to silver and Suzanne Schulting (NED) up to bronze.

Schulting won Sunday’s 1000m ahead of Choi and Kim Boutin (CAN) who finished third.

Choi Min Jeong(KOR) Suzanne Schulting(NED) Kim Boutin(CAN)©ISU 1134926569

Choi Min Jeong(KOR) Suzanne Schulting(NED) Kim Boutin(CAN) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Choi entered the Superfinal still wearing the leader’s Red Hat; Schulting would simply have to finish ahead of the Korean to take it for herself. And she made her move on the second-to-last corner, thundering through to victory. Choi was second and fellow Korean Kim Ji Yoo third.

Schulting won gold with 81 points, just five ahead of Choi. Boutin got the overall bronze, with 37. 

Suzanne Schulting (NED) WSTSSC 2019©ISU

Suzanne Schulting (NED) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Suzanne Schulting (NED) capped the perfect season by being crowned the overall Ladies’ winner at the 2019 World Short Track Championship at the Arena Armeec in Sofia on Sunday. She became only the second European to lift the title in its 44-year history and beat one of its greatest ever racers, Korea’s Choi Min Jeong – who had won three of the last four editions – into second place in dramatic style.

Choi found some consolation in the final event of the day, as she was part of the Korean Ladies’ Team that won relay gold. Russia were second and Canada third.

Both the 1500m, won by Lim, and the 500m, won by Hwang, ended in high drama at the Arena Armeec.

The 1500m final had to be stopped and restarted halfway through its first attempt, after Keita Watanabe (JPN) bundled over Samuel Girard (CAN), who was leading the race. The crash padding system was pushed out of place as they collided heavily with it. Watanabe was eliminated and they started again, with a seemingly unshaken Girard leading from the front once more. But on the final corner, Hwang Dae Heon (KOR) and Lim Hyo Jun (KOR) overtook the Canadian in a blaze of speed. Hwang crossed the line first but impeded Lim and was penalised. Lim therefore took gold, with Girard taking silver and another Korean, Lee June Seo, claiming bronze.

Lim Hyo Jun (KOR) Samuel Girard (CAN) WSTSSC 2019©ISU 1134680304

Lim Hyo Jun (KOR) Samuel Girard (CAN) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

The 500m was just as eventful. First there was the unusual sight of Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN) having to leave the ice after being disqualified for two false starts. His exit left a three-man field for three medals, but in the restarted race Hwang and Wu Dajing (CHN) collided going into a corner and hit the padding system. The judges allowed all three men to begin again and this time they all finished, with Hwang holding off Wu to win. Hwang went into day two in the leader’s Red Hat, with Lim in second place and Girard in third.

Hwang Dae Heon (KOR) Wu Daijing (CHN) WSTSSC 2019©ISU 1134720027Hwang Dae Heon (KOR) Wu Daijing (CHN) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

Short Track Championships as Lim Hyo Jun lifted the overall title by a huge margin then helped his team storm the 5000m relay.

Lim’s teammate Hwang Dae Heon was his only realistic challenger at Sofia’s Armeec Arena. but he was penalised in the 3000m Superfinal and finished second overall. 

Lim Hyo Jun(KOR) Semen Elistratov(RUS) Hwang Dae Heon(KOR)©ISU 1134900972

Lim Hyo Jun(KOR) Semen Elistratov(RUS) Hwang Dae Heon(KOR) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

In Sunday’s 1000m, Semen Elistratov from Russia led from the front before the Korean duo simultaneously attacked him on the final bend. It seemed like Hwang would beat his rivals on the inside, but instead Lim came around the outside and grabbed the points. Hwang was second and the Russian came third.

Hwang Dae Heon(KOR) Lim Hyo Jun(KOR) Semen Elistratov(RUS)©ISU 1134941086

Hwang Dae Heon(KOR) Lim Hyo Jun(KOR) Semen Elistratov(RUS) at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)

It was left for the Korean duo to scrap out in the Superfinal - and scrap they did. Once again, the speedy Elistratov was the frontrunner. And once again, Hwang impeded his Korean teammate while trying to make a high-speed late pass. Hwang was handed a penalty and Lim sealed first place – along with the overall title – ahead of Elistratov and Keita Watanabe (JPN).

Lim finished on 102 points in the overall standings, with Hwang getting silver with 55 despite two disqualifications and Elistratov taking bronze on 44.

The pair then combined with Lee June Seo and Park Ji Won to win the 5000m relay. China were second and Hungary third.