China Strikes Gold Twice on Final Day of ISU Short Track Tour in Beijing 🥇🏆
In a thrilling finale at the 2024-25 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Tour in Beijing, China dazzled fans by clinching two gold medals on Sunday! 🇨🇳✨ The home team raced to victory in both the mixed team relay and the men's 5,000-meter relay, leaving the crowd roaring with excitement.
Mixed Team Magic 🥇
The mixed relay was nothing short of electrifying! The Chinese team—comprising Fan Kexin, Gong Li, Liu Shaoang, and Sun Long—blazed through the ice to clock in at 2 minutes and 39.115 seconds. They edged out fierce competitors from South Korea, the U.S., and Poland in Final A. Talk about skating on thin ice and coming out on top! ⛸️🔥
\"It was an incredibly intense race, especially in the final moments of the mixed relay,\" shared Gong Li after the race. \"Everyone gave it their all, and I'm thrilled we secured first place.\"
Challenges and Comebacks 💪
Gong Li also competed in the women's 1,500-meter event. Despite feeling a bit off her game due to fatigue, she triumphed in Final B with a time of 2:45.032. \"After competing in both yesterday's and today's events, I felt a bit fatigued, which affected my performance in the 1,500m semifinal,\" she admitted. \"I need to work on building my stamina in future training.\"
She opened up about adapting to the new competition format, saying, \"At first, the short intervals between races were difficult to adjust to, especially in the first two stages. But we made adjustments during training, like shortening rest periods, which helped me gradually adapt.\"
Global Competitors 🌍
The day was packed with stellar performances from skaters around the world. In the women's 1,500-meter Final A, American skaters Kristen Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard took gold and silver, with South Korea's Kim Gil-li snagging bronze.
Canada's Felix Roussel zipped to victory in the men's 1,000-meter, clocking in at 1:25.352. Poland's Michal Niewinski and Britain's Niall Treacy claimed second and third places, respectively. China's Liu Shaoang finished strong in Final B, showing promise for future races!
In the women's 500-meter showdown, Dutch world record holder Xandra Velzeboer didn't disappoint, crossing the finish line first in 42.078 seconds. Canada's Florence Brunelle and Rikki Doak followed close behind, proving the competition was fierce!
Wrapping Up an Unforgettable Tour 🎉
As the Beijing leg of the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Tour concludes, fans are already buzzing about the next events. With China's impressive performances and the global talent on display, the future of short track speed skating looks brighter than ever! 🚀🌟
Stay tuned, ice fans! Who knows what record-breaking moments await in the next leg of the tour? 😉
Reference(s):
China win two golds on last day of ISU short track tour in Beijing
cgtn.com
