Gao wins an historic gold medal

Tingyu Gao is the men's 500m Olympic champion.

By Jackob Savard

Photo: ISU

Even if the 500m has always been a very difficult distance to predict, the eyes of the observers were mainly on Canadian Laurent Dubreuil, World Cup leader and world champion on the distance. Among his biggest competitors were the three Japanese Yuma Murakami, Tatsuya Shinhama and Wataru Morishige and the Dutchman Kai Verbij. 

At the end of the 15 pairs of skaters of this Olympic 500m, it is finally the local skater Tingyu Gao who won the Olympic title. The 24-year-old Chinese skater clocked 34.320 to win the gold medal and establish the Olympic record on the distance. It is China's first ever Olympic gold medal in men's speed skating.

Korean Min Kyu Cha and Japanese Wataru Morishige completed the podium with times of 34.390 and 34.490. Laurent Dubreuil had to settle for 4th place with a time of 34.522. He will have the opportunity to get back on track in the 1000m.

The women's 500m will be held tomorrow at the Oval.

Read our previous articles about the Olympics 

 

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