Takagi and Shinhama take the lead at the World sprint championship in Hamar

Miho Takagi and Tatsuya Shinhama are currently leading the World sprint championship rankings after a day of racing in Hamar.

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Maria Dalton

Miho Takagi and Tatsuya Shinhama had a solid first day of racing at the World sprint speed skating championships today in Hamar.

In the ladies’ category, Miho Takagi was the fastest in both the 500m (1) and 1000m (1) races. With her two wins, she's in first place of the ladies' ranking. Here teammate Nao Kodaira who finished 2nd on 500m and 8th on 1000m sits in 2nd position. Russians Olga Fatkulina and Angelina Golikova are 3rd and 4th while Dutch Jorien ter Mors completes the top 5.

Japanese Tatsuya Shinhama leads the men’s ranking after a 500m and a 1000m. Shinhama started his day finishing second on 500m (1) and ended it being the fastest in the 1000m (1). Canadian Laurent Dubreuil won the 500m and is currently in second place of the overall classification followed closely by Russian Pavel Kulizhnikov. Japanese Yamato Matsui and Korean Min Kyu Cha are 4th and 5th after this first day of competition in Hamar.

The sprint championship will end tomorrow with the 500m (2) and 1000m (2).

For the full results, click HERE

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