Speed Skating short-track records tumble at W.Cup

CALGARY, Canada (AFP) –

J.R. Celski of the US set a world record in the men’s 500m final at the Samsung ISU short track speed skating World Cup, on October 21, at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Celski become the first short-track speedskater to break the 40-second barrier over 500 meters, setting a world record of 39.973 in a World Cup final. Celski reached the finish line in 39.973sec.

American J.R. Celski became the first short-track speedskater to break the 40-second barrier over 500 meters, setting a world record of 39.973 in a World Cup final.

“I wasn’t really expecting to go that fast today because it’s been a long weekend of racing,” Celski said on Sunday. “Ice kind of tends to break down over time, but it held its ground and I’m really excited to come out with that world record today.”

South Korea’s Kwak Yoon-Gy and Shim Suk-Hee also re-wrote the record books, in the men’s and women’s 1,000m semi-finals.

Kwak broke the men’s record with a time of 1:23.007, and Shim set the women’s mark in 1:26.661.

The previous record for the men’s 500m was 40.344sec, set by Russian Vladimir Grigorev in heats here on Friday.

In the 1,000m, Kwak bettered the previous record of 1:23.454 set by Canadian Charles Hamelin in Montreal on January 18, 2009.

Shim beat the women’s 1,000m mark of 1:27.653 established Canadian Valerie Maltais in qualifying here on Friday.

Shim went on to win the women’s final in 1:29.247, but Russia’s Victor An won the men’s 1,000m final in 1:24.519.

China’s world record-holder Wang Meng won the women’s 500m final in 43.240.

In all, six world records fell in three days of competition, including 5,000m relay mark.