Dutch skaters dominate in women's Short Track WC on 2nd day

The Netherlands dominated the women's events on the second day of the World Short Track Championships in Seoul, South Korea on Saturday, reported Xinhua.

Dutch skaters bagged the top three in the women's 500m, with Xandra Velzeboer taking gold in 41.977 seconds and her compatriots Suzanne Schulting and Selma Poutsma rounding off the podium.

Schulting also took gold in the women's 1,500m in 2:31.349, ahead of South Korea's Choi Min-jeong and Canada's Kim Boutin. China's Zang Yize finished third in the Final B in 2:37.791.

In the women's 3,000m relay semifinals, the Netherlands' team of Schulting, Poutsma, Velzeboer and Yara van Kerkhof stormed into the final in first position, with a time of 4:08.298, 0.516 seconds faster than second-placed Canada.

On the men's side, Italian skater Pietro Sighel won the 500m in 41.166. China's Lin Xiaojun crossed the finish line first, but was penalized for not wearing mandatory equipment.

In the men's 1,500m, home favorite Park Ji-won clinched the title in 2:17.792.

Canada reached the men's 5,000m relay final after finishing first in 7:00.766 in the semifinal, followed by China's skaters Li Wenlong, Liu Guanyi, Zhong Yuchen and Lin, who were 0.664 seconds adrift. South Korea and Italy also advanced to the final.