Meng Wang and Charles Hamelin World champions
over 500 meters
Canada and China sweep sprint distance
07/03/2009 - Odds-on favourite Meng Wang from China and Canadian Charles
Hamelin are the winners of the second competition day at the ISU World
Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Vienna. Canada and China
swept today's heats, both entering the finals with three skaters. In
the men's race, Hamelin, who won the Silber medal at the World Championships
2008, outsprinted his teammate Olivier Jean and Korean Yoon-Gy Kwak
and led Canada to a 1-2-victory. "Yesterday Olivier and me were
disqualified in the semi final and i was very disappointed. I felt strong
and I wanted to do a good competition today in order to keep my chances
in the overall classification", says Hamelin.
Defeinding champion Meng Wang and Qiuhong Liu also claimed a double
win for China in the ladies' race, Canadian Jessica Gregg finished third.
Wang saw herself as the skater to beat after yesterday's strong performance,
when she also was disqualified although crossing the line first. "Yesterday
I led from start to finish, so I knew that i was strong." Meng
now leads in the women's overall classification, "and I think that
who wants to be Overall champion has first to beat us Chinese."
The men's overall classification is now headed by Korean skater Yoon-Gy
Kwak, Hamelin is in third position.
In the men's Relay semi-final Japan, the USA and China claimed their
starting place for the final tomorrow. Italy also advanced to the final
after the strong Canadian team was disqualified. The 1.000 meter heats
and final as well as the Relay finals are scheduled tomorrow. The competitions
in the Ferry-Dusika-Stadium will start at 11:00 a.m.
