08-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
China speed skating slip lets South Korea take first gold of Asian Winter Games
South Korea had been expected to dominate the speed skating at this year's Asian Winter Games and they got off to a strong start on Saturday, winning the first three gold medals up for grabs.
They started in the 2,000-metres mixed-team relay at Heilongjiang Ice Sports Centre, taking advantage of a China slip-up, and then added the men's and women's 1,500m crowns to that list.
Park Ji-won, the two-time World Cup overall champion, took two of those gold medals, helping his team to the first as he crossed the line in two minutes, 41.534 seconds, after China's Lin Xiaojun, who led by one body's length, tumbled off the ice on the curve with two laps to go.
Kazakhstan capitalised on the Chinese team's blip and finished second in 2:42.258. Japan took bronze in 2:44.058.
Park just got the better of Lin in their 1,500m tussle soon after, winning in a time of 2:16.927, with Lin coming home in 2:16.956. Jang Sung-woo added bronze for South Korea in 2:17.057. China's Lin Xiaojun falls while leading the 2,000m relay, allowing Park Ji-won (right) to lead South Korea to gold. Photo: Xinhua
There was double gold too for South Korea's Kim Gilli, who saw off a double Chinese threat to claim the women's 1,500m in 2:23.781. Second was Gong Li in 2:23.884, with compatriot Zang Yize third in 2:23.965.
