Japanese fans filling the Nippon Gaishi Arena in Nagoya, Japan today had the pleasure of seeing one of their own get on the podium after a great performance on 1500m.
By Carl Savard
Photos by Tony Chung (@SHORTTRACKHD)
1500m: Watanabe pleases the fans - Boutin keeps piling the medals
In a highly exciting main final on the first 1500m competition of the weekend, two Japanese ahletes had the opportunity to give local fans a reason to celebrate. Keita Watanabe and young upcoming star Shogo Miyata had to fight against Hungary’s Liu Shaoang, Russia’s Alexandre Shulginov, China’s An Kai and Korea’s Kim Dong Wook and Park In Wook. The faith of this race was decided with four laps to go. While Watanabe was playing locomotive at the front, his teammate Miyata tried to go from third to second but Liu Shaoang blocked him by moving from the outside to the inside. Liu ended up being penalised for his action after the race but the incident totally killed Miyata’s momentum. In a classic Korean move, Kim and Park used the confusion to move ahead ending up the race in first and second position respectively. Watanabe grabbed the bronze medal while Miyata had to settle for sixth place.
On the ladies’ side, Canada’s Kim Boutin is still on a roll. She won her fifth medal in five main finale raced this season so far. Boutin won the silver medal. She was beaten By Korea’s Kim Ji Yoo. Italy’s Arianna Fontana’s experience paid off has she waited for the perfect moment to step on the gas and place herself in third place with three laps to go. A position she was able to maintain to win the bronze.
1000m: Park Ji Won and Noh Ah Rum in gold
Just like they did on 1500m earlier, Korean athletes won the gold on 1000m in Nagoya both on the men’s and women’s side of the competition. Park Ji Won was joined on the podium by Liu Shaoang and Russia’s Semen Elistratov. Canada’s Steven Dubois was on the podium for the major part of the race but was passed at the end to finish in fourth place.
On the women’s side Noh Ah Rum finished in first place beating reigning world champion on the distance Suzanne Schulting who got the silver medal. A feel good medal for the American team, who’s in reconstruction these days, as Kristen Santos was able to finish third and win the bronze medal.
Relay: Korea once again
Korean athletes completed their golden day with a win in the 2000m mixt relay event. Russia won silver. China was penalised during the race allowing Team Netherland composed of Daan Breeuwsma, Itzhak de Laat, Suzanne Schulting and Lara van Ruijven to win the bronze despite a fall from van Ruijven during the race.
Athletes will be back on the ice on Sunday for the last day of competition in Nagoya. Another 1500m, a 500m, the 3000m ladies’ relay and 5000m men’s will be raced on the last day.
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